Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Breast?
by baby blue eyes10
Summary: It wasn't the same as last time. They knew the lines, sure, but they had no idea of the trials to come. But it hasn't stopped them yet. Taylor and Maria are back, with friends new and old, to wreak havoc on the Caribbean and it's infamous pirate captain.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Well, the last time I checked, I didn't have a furry tail, two round (and huge) ears, or a button nose. Nor was I wearing red overalls and white shoes. Therefore, I think it is safe to say that I own nothing from Pirates of the Caribbean, or from all of Disney for that matter.

Author's Note: I'M BACK!!! Can you believe that I was gone for over a year?! It seems that it was only yesterday when I was writing the last chapter to Curse of the Sexy Beast. But, alas, it is time to begin again and my creativity is flowing out of my fingers and onto the keys of my computer. I must say that this story is going to have some very interesting twists, turns, round abouts, and flips. Yes, that is right, flips. I'm so excited right now because this story is going to rock the socks off most of you people, and for those who aren't wearing socks, then you best put some on because you don't want your toes flying around the room. Could be embarrassing. So, I just want everyone who are new readers to know that you should probably read Curse of the Sexy Beast first, or some of this won't make sense. And for those coming back to me, I am proud to introduce Taylor and Maria back into your lives.

So, without further ado, I present to you for the very first time, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Breast?

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_"Becket: I'll Break Yo Face!"_

No, we didn't end up back in the Pirates universe. The film came on and Maria flicked the television off before the young Elizabeth had even begun to sing. I'm not going to lie and tell you that the disappointment at not being able to see Jack or Will, Gibbs or even Elizabeth again was easy to deal with because it wasn't. The next morning Maria and I went to work as life-guards at the local pool and we returned to life as usual.

That isn't to say that we didn't continue to hope, pray, wish, and dream that the next time we watched would be different. That we would enter the universe that had been so real we knew it wasn't a dream. And it wasn't like we could just hop back into that world whenever we wanted. No, at the end of the summer, we packed our bags, held tight to each other, and went our separate ways into college and the real world.

It was never like we weren't but a phone call away, but somehow it was like losing a part of me as she went north to Notre Dame and I headed south to the College of Charleston to study marine biology. Plus, somewhere in the back of my mind I figured that being close to the water would help me spot a pirate. And Charleston was a pirate port. I got a job as a tour-guide while I was there and I led ghost hunts during the night.

I talked to Maria constantly and had even made new friends in Charleston, such as Ann Guthrie, who was my room mate and also a fellow 'pirate.' Life was good, and after finishing one of the most eye-opening, gut-twisting years of schooling in my life, I was ready to head back to Kentucky for a long summer of catching up and vacationing. Plus, I had a trip to Disney World coming up, and it was going to be the chance of a life time to ride my favorite ride with my best friend. I would even get to see Jack, in a manner of speaking. And we had vowed that once the ride was over that was it. We would walk out and not look back at that part of our senior summer.

But it's always funny how history repeats itself.

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"You dirty whore! I thought I was coming to get you at the airport!" The first thing I noticed as I opened the door to my happily irate best friend was that she looked great. Her dark brown hair had grown down to about her middle-back and her bright blue eyes were rimmed in just the hint of black liner. Also, she seemed to have grown and her clothes finally fit her almost too-skinny frame.

I laughed and hugged her, my sun-lightened blonde hair mixing with hers to form a swirl of different color. "You were, but I got in later than expected and my mom just picked me up." Stepping aside to let her in, I shut the door to my parent's house and we walked into the kitchen together. She gave me a warm hug and I wished, once again, that I had been able to come home earlier like she had. She slid into the bar stool while I sat back in 'my chair.' "You look amazing though, Maria, and from what I heard from my mom, you have some things to tell me about this boy up yonder."

Maria blushed and then pushed my feet off her chair. "I'm going to have to stop talking to your mom when I can't find you," She muttered and then put her feet on _my_ chair. I smirked. "Well, he's a junior. He lives on campus and we met at a frat party. Blue eyes, black hair, and amazingly muscled." She sighed and I laughed.

"And, what else?" I asked while trying to picture this guy in my mind but not really coming closer. She shrugged and I reacted automatically. "That's not good enough!" I said whilst acting like I was throwing a machete into the counter. As soon as I said it I wanted to take it back. We sat awkwardly as that familiar feeling of remembrance came over us. "Anyways, I am really glad that you're happy and you have a new boy. You deserve it, girl number one."

Maria smiled and touched my almost permanently freckled, sun burnt nose. "What have I told you about wearing sunscreen? You practically live in South Carolina, that means with your frail skin it's burn season." I laughed and rubbed my nose, not really feeling any burn as I had become accustomed to the sunny weather. "You look great too, Tay. No more glasses and have you been to the gym?" I laughed at the jibe. Maria knew that I wanted to get fit before school and I had, in fact, been going to the gym since being in a place that always had a beach season.

"Why thank you, Madame. So are you super excited about Disney World or what? The dream of riding all those roller coasters and seeing if they did the _Pirates_ characters any justice is upon us in just one-to-two-depending-on-traffic days!" I began to feel my excitement rising and Maria began to bounce a little in her seat. "Oh, god, I'm so nervous and ecstatic that I can barely sit still. I missed you so freaking much!" I exclaimed as I hopped off the chair and did a impromptu dance in the middle of the kitchen. Giving in, Maria joined me and we danced regally around the kitchen table.

My mother walked in a few minutes later, rolled her eyes, and then employed us to help her bring in the groceries for extra spending money if we wanted snacks for the trip. Even as official sophomores in college we still got stuck with the dirty work.

When all the food was inside and put away, Maria brought out a sparkly pink notebook that I recognized as an exact replica of one she had in high school. The Plan Everything Out of Existence notebook. Faking a shudder, we congregated into the living room to sit cross-legged on the floor and plan out the trip with my mother one last time. "So, Taylor and I have saved up enough for the gas there and back, plus some spending money from last summer and throughout the school year," Maria pointed to a block on her page titled _Expenses_. As expected, everything was calculated down to the cent.

I nodded and bobbed around as she continued. "We have the passes to get into the parks, and we're already registered at the hotel. Thanks again for helping us out with that." She told my parental unit and I nodded. Our parents had decided to pay for the park passes and hotel for five nights as long as we handled food, gas, and any other necessity we might see fit to bring. To say that it was a load off our shoulder's was not an exaggeration. My mom nodded and then gestured for Maria to continue. "We should get there around four tomorrow if we leave here at three."

Eyes bulging at the early hour, I cut in with some much needed comments. "I'm going to ride roller coasters until I puke and you won't be able to pull me off of the rides because I'll be mashed to the seat!" My mother and Maria rolled their eyes together as they looked at me. I smiled happily in return. Remember that girl who a year ago had been terrified of heights? I made that fear my bitch when I went to an amusement park last summer. Now I brought it up whenever I could.

"Yes, of course you will, Tay." My mother said as she reached for Maria's notebook. She gladly handed it over and my mom went over everything for herself one more time. "Well, everything looks like it's going to be a blast girls. And Taylor is driving you guys in her car, is that right?" I nodded proudly, laughing at Maria who blushed faintly. She wasn't really allowed to drive all that much since she and I had gotten lost last summer on the way to tour a college down south that was near where I went now.

"That would be correct, mother." I said in the most uptight voice I could manage and then I sent a snooty look towards Maria. "I shan't be packed yet, though, so if everything is on the up and up would you mind terribly if we got off our bums and did those things? We need to pack the car too." My mother shooed us away and together with my best friend we bounded up the stairs to my old room. When Maria saw the state of craziness it was in, she sighed.

"At least tell me that you separated your dirty college clothes from your clean trip clothes." I sent her a sheepish look and she crossed her arms before sitting in the middle of the pile. "Whatever, it looks like we also need to add laundry to the list of things to do before we leave." I smiled happily and climbed on the only surface that wasn't messed up: my bed. Watching from above, I let Maria hold up clothes while I yay or nayed them.

When I finally had enough clothes for the trip and then some, we sent a load down the laundry chute, scaring the bejeezus out of my father who was folding clothes for my mom. Miraculously, all the clothes I had planned on taking were clean and only needed to be refolded. While I folded and Maria arranged my suitcase, we talked about the trip. "So, I have a surprise for you when we get down there. And it is sweet!" I sing-songed and she rolled her eyes.

"I can only imagine what you could have waiting for me in Disney World." She paused in her packing and pretend contemplated for a minute. "Is it a swashbuckling-trying to not be one-pirate named Will Turner?" She laughed and I joined in while finishing the last of the packing and shoving in the rest of my necessities before zipping the bag shut without a hitch. Okay, it was decided. I'm kidnapping my best friend to pack for me from now on.

"I wish I could say that is what it was, but I don't think it works that way. By the way, I watched the third movie with Ann while we were waiting for finals to resume. It was okay, nothing to really be too overjoyed about." Maria nodded with me before sending the rest of my stuff down the chute and cleaning up just a little. I watched her while pretending to read a magazine she had brought with her to read, and when the room was finally deemed clean she looked at me.

Acting nonchalant, she sat on the window seat, breathing deeply of the smell of bourbon mash coming in through the open window screen. "Do you ever think that it could happen again? I find myself thinking about it sometimes if I'm in the middle of a lecture and lose focus. Just the feel of standing in the crow's nest and feeling the salt stick to my skin, or seeing Jack yell at you for freaking something up again." She looked over at me and smiled for real.

Abandoning all pretenses of reading the magazine, I threw it back on her pile of stuff and laid on my stomach to face her. "Or the look on Gibbs' face when you hit him in the face with that rope." I laughed outright as I remembered the superstitious man's face. A cross between bewildered and completely pissed off, with curses to make any sailor proud, which I guess would make sense since he was a pirate and all.

"I apologized, like, three-hundred times for that," Maria muttered while blushing. We laughed for a bit longer, trying to recall the funny happenings, but not really recalling the differences between what we had added to the movie and what really happened. As our laughter died off, Maria took to looking out the window and I pulled some fuzz off my quilt. It was quiet, for us anyways, and we could hear my mother playing music downstairs as she made dinner for us.

I cleared my throat a little, all the while continuing to stare at the designs on my mattress. "Yeah, I still think about it almost everyday." We looked up at each other and I could tell that Maria felt the same way I did. Whatever happened on this trip, there was always going to be that little nag in the back of our minds waiting for more. Craving it, really. "Let's go pack the car." I said a little too loudly to break the silence. She nodded and we both carried our respective bags downstairs and out into my little blue car.

The next day, after getting up at an hour that should only be seen if you've just gotten in from a party, and then driving for twelve hours, singing too loud to the radio with the wind whipping my already f'ed up hair, we arrived at Disney's Port Orleans Resort. Finding a close parking spot, meaning we walked like half te way there, Maria and I attempted to fix our hair as we walked up the stately stairs to the front lobby. After squealing excitedly and finally getting checked in, we got back in the car, drove to our 'cottage' in _Alligator Bayou_.

As we jumped about inside the hotel room and freaked out for about half-an-hour, we both settled in and got some quick showers while unpacking and getting ready to go out for the night. It was hot and sticky, but we were just going to explore the 'Boardwalk' which was a huge place that was near the hotel we were at and had like a million things to do. I was also looking forward to giving Maria her surprise.

"Taylor, let's just _go_! I didn't drive all the way down here to sit in the room," Maria had her hands on her hips as she berated me and I stretched from the bed. She hadn't driven twelve hours straight, but whatever. Glancing at the clock in the mirror as I re-fixed my hair and then tugged my yellow tank straight, I noticed that it was only five-thirty. We had plenty of time before the 'surprise.'

"Fine, fine, let's haul ass out of here." I rolled my eyes as I spoke to my friend, slipping on my comfortable black cloth flip-flops that didn't give me insane blisters and tugging my blue-jean skirt so that it faced the correct way. "Dude, we also have to be at Magic Kingdom by 9 o'clock for your super surprise! And we get to ride the ferry there! I love boats," I said whimsically as we grabbed the minimal things we would need and tucked our room keys away safely.

As we walked down the winding Louisiana paths toward where the New Jersey looking boardwalk was located, Maria tried to guess her surprise, stopping every once in awhile to look at the scenes. I will admit, I had been to the Big DW before, but every time it was amazing. Just the sheer fact that this place was so freaking huge and that it was like you were going from one part of the world to the next in such a short period of time amazed me. Which is one of the main reasons that I was excited about visiting Epcot.

When Maria was done trying to harass me in to telling her, we had finally made it to the boardwalk where we had made reservations to eat at this semi-formal outside pub located next to an arcade. Hey, we were still kids right? "This is so amazing," I whispered as our waiter led us to our table. He looked to be about twenty-two or so and I turned on the charm for a bit before he went to get our drinks, an extra bounce in his step when he noticed us watching him.

"I love it when you go out of state and can flirt with guys you'll never see again," Maria said when he set our drinks down with a couple of extra napkins, saying that if we needed a tour guide he was around. Conspicuously, Maria pocketed his napkin number and I laughed at her. While enjoying the fading sun on my shoulders, I took a sip of my Shirley Temple and people watched. The people dining in the area we were at were probably around our own age; further down the road were tired families trying to control restless kids after a day at the park; and even further were the older couples, dancing leisurely to old timed music pouring from hidden speakers.

"So Patrick won't mind you pocketing other guys' numbers while he's away?" I asked while setting my drink down and picking up the menu. It was now almost seven and I was starting to get a little hungry. Maria shrugged and I thought back quickly on what she had told me about her new boyfriend Patrick S.

"We're exclusive but not in a way that I can't flirt with other guys." We shared a smile that led back to when we were in diapers and were still giggling when our waiter came back to take our orders. Most of dinner was spent catching up on things that we hadn't gotten around to in the car and beating the subject of school to death with a blunt object when it came up. Finally, it was eight thirty and the ferry's horn blew loudly across the river.

"Got to make a dash if we want that surprise to happen tonight," I told Maria as we left the tip on the table, seeing as we had already paid our bill. What? Did you think we were the dine-and-dash type of people? Please, we have more class than that. Plus they would have been able to I.D. us easily.

If we had thought seeing our hotel and the area surrounding it was excited, it was nothing compared to how I felt when we walked closer to the entrance of Magic Kingdom. The sign that read Main Street U.S.A. was lit up and behind that loomed Cinderella's castle. The ticket people checked our passes and we walked down Main Street, mingling with the people leaving the park and the ones coming in to watch the fireworks. When we reached the castle, we stared up at it like two idiots and locked arms with each other.

"So, are we riding rides or just going to chill before the fireworks? Is that the surprise?" Maria guessed and I smiled. Taking her arm, I drug her towards our left to make our way into _Adventureland_ using the directions that I had gotten from Ann before we left the hotel while Maria was in the bathroom. "Hey, this is the way to the Pirates ride." She stated blankly as I led her through a back way behind some trees. The 'yo ho, yo ho," theme song became louder and just like she said she would, as we rounded the corner Ann stood there in her work clothes.

"Taylor! You made it with five minutes to spare, surprisingly." I nodded and hugged my friend, smelling the chlorinated water from the ride on her. Turning to Maria she opened her arms and hugged my bewildered but excited best friend. "And you have to be Maria! Oh, I'm so happy that you guys could come. Follow me; the last ride is ending and then we can have our turn before the fireworks." Maria looked at me as we followed Ann into the employee entrance/exit. We talked happily and as Ann and Maria got to know each other, the last of the few stragglers got off the ride and took there pictures with the 'pirates' waiting outside in the lobby/souvenir area.

"Okay, the ride is all set up for one last turn. Make sure you turn off the lights when you get off and Will said he'd lock up." An older man said as he met us going down the stairs into the dungeon area where I knew the ride began. I laughed, thinking it was ironic that a man named Will worked at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. "We give him crap all the time about that," Ann said as she led us into the boat that was ready to go.

"No way! We get to ride this all by ourselves?" Maria asked and I smiled triumphantly and sat myself in the middle of the three-seat rocking log boat. "Best surprise of my life. Thanks a lot, Taylor. And you too, Ann." I posed in an 'I'm the best stance' and Ann blushed, shy about being brought into the spotlight for something. As we sat down and got ready to strap in, Ann hit a button to start the ride, then jumped quickly into the dinghy as it started to move.

"Dead men tell no tales." An eerie voice spoke and as we descended into darkness I grabbed my two friend's hands. It was silent but for the sound of rushing water and the ride stopped, our boat ceasing to move. "Damn it!" Ann swore, moving to get out and then realizing that the harness type thing covering our laps wouldn't budge. "Sorry, this happens some times. Just cus' it's Disney doesn't mean it always works," She told us trying to lift herself out. She moved quickly as Maria and I looked around the darkness.

"Do you feel that?" I asked quietly, my blood pressure rising at the slightest pull I was feeling on my lower legs. I didn't get a chance to hear Maria's reply as the boat tipped precariously and we slid down the 14 foot waterfall sported in the ride. However, it seemed like we were falling much longer than that before our oat hit the water and everything went black.

Oh, shit yeah!

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What the hell?

When I woke up from the time-travel/holy-crap alternate dimension induced sleep, I noticed only one thing. We were in the middle of what I _knew_ to be Lord Midget's office. I sat up and looked around, seeing that darkness had descended around us and that Ann and Maria were already awake. Ann looked like she was in a dreamland and was breathing deeply as if she was going to calm herself down like that. Yeah, the only thing that works in calming you down in screaming at the top of your lungs and dancing like a crazy woman.

Maria was walking around, in the same dress she had been in during the first excursion we had had here. Changing my view, I looked down into my lap and noticed that my black beaded skirt, green t-shirt, faded gray piratical boots, and green bandana were atop me. Yay! I loved this outfit so much. The hole in my shirt and missing beads were all mended and although my hat was still missing, I had successfully managed to not have my glasses and my hair was still the same length. Seems like it only took what we had had on last time and gave us our clothes back.

I stood up from where I was leaning against Midget Lord's desk and walked over to where Ann was to make sure she was okay. Her light hair was still in a ponytail from work, but her clothes were changed into dark pants, tucked into even darker boots, and her shirt was loose and flowing with a sash tied around her to keep it fitting. "You look like you just stepped off a ship," I said as I extended a hand for her.

Gladly taking it, she stood holding on to me for a minute before finding her balance again. She looked around in wonder and gazed at her clothes. "It's my Ann Bonny costume from work. Best known female pirate captain in the seven seas," She explained and I nodded to her as I let her babble. Maria let out an ah hah! And I turned to look at what she had found.

"A monocle? Now, really Lord B," I shook my head as if ashamed and Maria pretended to be hoity-toity as she tried the round piece of eyeglass on and did an uptight, sour look. "We're back," I squealed when she stopped and she ran over to me, jumping and squealing with me. When I had finally calmed down enough (see it _does_ work) I let go of her and we walked to where Ann was still staring in wonderment.

"It's all real, isn't it? We're in Pirates of the Caribbean."

"Dead Man's Chest," I finished for her and she looked at me as if she was going to cry. "No, please don't cry, Ann. I promise that nothing bad is going to happen and that everything will be fine. I'm still convinced that it's just an elaborate dream." I winked at Maria, deciding that if we spared Ann the details of how you _could_ be hurt and how we weren't going to wake up it would be better.

Ann looked around once more before a large smile broke out on her face. "_We're in Pirates of the Caribbean!_" She started to jump around and scream in a high-pitched voice and I laughed as I joined in. "I'll get to see Will, and Jack. And James." Ann sighed and we renewed our dance with one we were accustomed to seeing down in Charleston. While we were dancing, the knob on the door started to turn and we stopped in mid-leap to watch it rattle annoyingly. "It's for you." I told Maria, going to sit behind Becket's desk while Maria opened the door for what was obviously Elizabitch.

It felt good to say that again.

"Fancy seeing you here, Mr. Cumber-dell." Maria said to a very surprised Elizabeth Swann as she opened the door and let her into the room. Elizabitch looked extremely put out when she saw me sitting behind the big mahogany desk but she tried to play it cool.

"Oh, my goodness. You're _Elizabeth_ _Swann_." Ann breathed as she stood excitedly before Elizabeth, who gripped her pistol a little tighter. Without any warning, Ann shoved Elizabeth forcefully. "You are a bitch and you don't deserve William Turner at all." I laughed loudly with Maria who had come to stand next to me as we watched Ann turn and give us a wink. Elizabitch stood shocked for a moment before rolling her eyes and muttering about how we were a curse.

I let her look around for a bit as we discussed how far along the movie was. "Jack is most likely on the island already, so Will is probably in Tortuga or somewhere near where Jack is. James is hanging with the Navy, and Pintel and Ragetti are in prison or about to break loose." I deduced and Ann contemplated this while Maria seemed startled at the mention of Will. Ah, yes. We were going to have a hard time with it this time around, she and I. I silently made a promise that I wouldn't let her, or myself, get hurt again.

"Which means that midget is around here somewhere, getting ready to come in, no doubt." Elizabeth had reached the letters of Marque as Maria said this and I nodded.

"Then we better hide before we ruin it all." Ann said looking worried. Maria and I smiled, remembering what it was like to mess up the movies in small ways. "Trust me, with what we've already done to these characters, nothing is likely to get us in too much trouble."

As we took our places around the shadowy parts of the room, I thanked the gods above that we had close to perfect timing. Just as Elizabitch's dress floated out of sight, that Lord B walked in from outside, carrying a pansy lantern and reading what I assumed to be the letter from the Guvna. When he noticed the f'ed up box that Elizabitch hadn't fixed and left stupid in all her idiocy he gave a pause.

"No doubt you've discovered that loyalty is no longer the currency of the realm as your father believes." He spoke in that nasally voice that makes me want to beat the snot out of him. Jesus, I'd break his nose if only for the fact that plastic surgery could fix it and his deviated septum. Sigh. Back to the movie.

Elizabeth stepped out of hiding and I took my seat at his desk again. Damn, this chair sure was comfortable. "Then what is," She asked while holding the letters and her no doubt stolen pistol behind her back.

"I'm afraid currency is the currency of the realm." He said in a sarcastic tone. I imitated him and he turned swiftly to find me smiling at him creepily. As well as Maria making a stupid face and Ann dancing to her own beat in her head, probably still hoping that she'd see Norrington soon and could jump his bones. Ah, young love.

"Howdy," I spoke and waved with a salute to the short man as he watched us all with a worried expression. He looked like he was going to say something but I stopped his short. "You won't like me when I'm angry," I imitated whilst making my eyes go big and showing my sharp teeth. He backed away from me, putting him closer to Elizabeth. Maria laughed and Elizabeth turned the attention back towards her.

"Then I'm sure we can come to some sort of understanding," He looked at her to show her she had his attention, but still kept an eye on the three of us. "I'm here to negotiate."

"I'm listening," He said with every little ounce of he definitely wasn't listening. She must have sensed this because she pulled the pistol to his head and cocked it. His Adam's apple bobbed as he watched the metal object. Hopefully she didn't have an itchy trigger finger. "I'm listening intently."

As the two most hated people in my life talked shop, I tried to think of how I could get to Captain Jack the fastest when I realized that Elizabitch was leaving and so were Maria and Ann. I got up to leave when I was sent a look by all three people.

And that's when I knew it. That's when I knew that everyone in the whole bloody world had gone mad. "I will most definitely _not_ be stuck here with midget man." There was a general outcry by Lord Midget Becket, but I just didn't really care right then. "I won't do it, Elizabitch. You couldn't pay me enough money in the world for me to find another way to freedom like this." I pointed in the general direction of where Becket was standing, trying to make himself taller.

"Aw, come on now Taylor, it won't be too bad. Just think of all the Willy Wonka songs you can sing!" Maria looked positively joyful about the fact that Elizabeth wanted me to stay behind. The little bint is just jealous that I'll get to see Will first. Ann shrugged and sent me an "I have no idea what's going on" face.

"Then here's the idea, you stay!" I acted all happy and surprised as if my idea was great. Maria scoffed at me like I was some kind of child.

"As if I would stay with that guy. He's a total midget." She rendered, throwing Elizabeth a glance like I was crazy. There was a shout in the corner of the room.

"Would you kindly stop referring to me as a _midget_?"

We all looked at him with a look that quickly shut him up. "Oh, what_ever_, you guys go ahead and leave with Elizabitch," Ignoring her outcry on the hated nickname, I got up and walked towards the entrance of the room. "I've got a better idea anyways." They nodded and Maria and Ann quickly came over to me, hugging me tightly but not seeming to be that upset that I was going off by myself. "See you girls in Tortuga, right?" I asked and they both smiled largely.

"Tortuga," Maria muttered, mocking Jack and making me smile. We parted ways and as they jumped off the short balcony and Elizabeth took the stairs I watched Lord Becket. "Sorry, my brother, but you really are a midget." He glared at me and then looked pointedly towards the door.

"You have about five minutes before I put you in jail for harassing a Lord of the Queen." With a regal bow/nod I called him midget one more time, lingering only to ask him where the jail was. As he told me and his fists began to clench as I kept slipping in the word short and midget, he finally stood up. Giving him one last fake smile, I blew kisses to him before he threatened to grab his sword.

Then I got the hell out of dodge. Time to spend me some time in the slammer. Again.

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So, sheeps and peeps, what did ya think? I, personally, am so excited that it's finally up and that the first chapter is finished that I'm literally splitting my face for smiling so much. Thanks again for all those that read the first one and stuck around with all my spastic writing long enough to attempt the second one. I'm super glad that you guys did. Now, press the button in the middle on the bottom of this page and tell me what _you _thought about chapter one!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Update will be as soon as I can do it so watch for that too!

Peach. Out.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I wish I could say that I owned this franchise, because then I would make sure Ragetti got his glass eye and the computer actually recognized Pintel as a real name. Alas, this is not the case. Sorry.

Author's note: Well, not only has it been over a month since I last updated, but my life has been psychotic what with school ending and me finally becoming a senior! Thank goodness! Also, my grandpa was having some health problems including a surgery where he was hospital bound for a week and is home bound for another three. Anyways, he's cancer free and I was so excited and in a good mood that I decided to write for you. So, if you would be so kind to review and enjoy this chapter, it would be much appreciated!

Read on!

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_Chapter Two: _

_Everybody look at me I'm being annoying on a boat!_

"I got freaking shafted!" I wondered aloud as we floated around on the open ocean in a little raft-like boat. We, of course, being myself, Pintel, and Ragetti. As of ten hours ago, we began floating around in a little boat in the middle of the night, while Ragetti tried to read a bible even though he was illiterate and Pintel muttered about how they could have possibly gotten stuck with me again. For awhile, I was very offended and did everything I could to get on the pirate's nerves, even resorting to singing rousing renditions of old Spice Girls music. However, after awhile I got tired and bored and settled on watching the sun come up.

I was super freaking tired as well. Not only had I been up for more than 24 hours straight, but I also had driven 12 hours in a car trying to get to Florida. Moreover, if we were going to get technical, and I was going to get technical, when I found Pintel and Ragetti at the jail, they were both asleep and I had to _break_ the bars of the cells off and pull a Will Turner to get them out. Have I mentioned lately that even though I have been going to the gym my upper body strength is still in the lacking muscle compartment? It was freaking hard and now my arms were hurting and I was falling asleep.

As I tuned out the idiotic mumblings coming from the two pirates with me, I let my eyes close and decided that if I could catch just a _minute_ of sleep I would be rejuvenated for the rest of the day. As if sensing that I was going to finally get something my body desperately needed, the two pirates started up a very loud, very obnoxious dispute.

"Well, I say t'was divine providence that escaped us from jail," Ragetti said in a raised voice while bookmaking his place in the upside down bible.

Pintel rolled his eyes. "And I say it was me being clever." Just a suddenly, the mangy old dog jumped into my lap and placed its head over my shoulder, his keys hanging off my back. I grimaced at the dirty smell and calmly but firmly pushed the mutt away from me. "Ain't that right, poochie?" He questioned the dog who whined and went back to his place between Ragetti's feet.

"Well, how'd you know it weren't Divine Providence what inspired you to be clever?" Ragetti asked whilst defending his holy book and posing the question as if he was God himself. It was my turn to roll my eyes as I intervened.

"It wasn't either because one, Pintel is _not_ clever, no offense intended," I said quickly as Pintel stopped his rowing while looking mutinous. Without much hesitation I continued, "And two because I'm the one that got you two pea brains out of jail in the first place. Therefore, without my cleverness and attention to detail you would have never gotten out. After all, those cells were just half-pin barrel hinges." I couldn't resist the slight dig at Will and Ragetti looked at me strangely.

"Sounds like the Mr. Turner, she does." With a shake of his greasy hair, he moved back on to the original topic. "Besides, I ain't stealing no ship." Ah, so it came back to the _Pearl_ like always. I swear that ship gets more attention than a whore does at the _Faithful Bride_ and that's saying something because I've been there. Once again, though, Pintel rolled his eyes at his pirate friend.

"It ain't stealin'; 'ts salvaging. And since when do you care?"

"Since we're not immortal no more," To make his point, he started to violently thud his bible. "We've got to take care of our immortal souls." The man literally did look shaken up about all this and not for the first time I felt bad for him just a little bit.

"You know you can't read." Pintel finally pointed out and I nodded sadly at my friend. The poor guy was trying to redeem his soul yet he couldn't read. If I really wanted to be a good person I could teach him how, but then I didn't think we had the time nor did I want to really try to explain it all to him. "It's the bible, you get credit for trying!" He countered with and Pintel shot him down again with an angry, "Pretending to read the bible's a lie! It's a mark against," he pointed his finger in the air menacingly and just as the fight was about to turn physical mangy mutt or poochie started to bark.

"Look, there it is!" Pintel whispered and they both smiled like true pirates before becoming distracted by the dog jumping out. Well, now I had two choices: jump over and swim leisurely to the island or stay on the boat and get pummeled to death by vicious surf. Make a decision. As he said something about stupid catfish and scurvy mongrel or something of the sort, I hopped overboard and shivered at the icy water before breaking my head to the top.

"See you boys on the shore!" I shouted back and then followed Poochie in swimming out of the rougher water. Diving under, I thanked the heavens for waterproof make-up. In the event that we had been going to go to the beach or ride water rides at the park or, heck, even get stuck in a movie again I had invested in some waterproof eyeliner and mascara. Now, it was coming in handy because I wouldn't look like the grudge when I got to the shore.

When I finally drifted onto the shore, I wrung out my wet hair and threw it across my shoulder while I started to braid it and waited for the two bickering pirates to go under and resurface near the _Pearl_. Finally, they did and with a renewed energy they came running up the beach like they were on Baywatch. They were also laughing maniacally and looking at the ship lustfully, but I was going to be nice and not mention that to them.

"It's ours for the taking," Pintel shouted over the surf while running his hands over the wood and hitting at some of the barnacles that were clinging to the underbelly. I stood up, brushed my wet clothes off as best I could, and walked over to where they were devising a plan. As Ragetti made way to climb the rope, he reverted to his old piratical ways.

"The tide's coming in, that should help." At both my own and Pintel's questioning looks, he smiled quickly and shrugged his shoulders like he was trying to explain something supremely easy to understand. "Salvaging is saving, in a manner of speaking." they laughed outrageously again and I stood back as they climbed the ship and began to get it ready for take off. Although, everyone knows you can't sail a ship with two men. Unless, of course, you're Captain Jack Sparrow.

"In who's manner of speaking?" I asked no one in particular. Since I didn't expect an answer I left them to their musings about the drum beats and walked closer to the tree line as the tide came in and started to moisten the sand. "Come on, Sparrow, you've got to get out." I muttered to myself, feeling the suspense and dread building up inside me at the thought of him. He no doubt had gotten together with other women while I was 'absent' and I didn't blame him because we weren't exclusive and were never going to be even if this was where I belonged.

It still hurt to think that I hadn't meant that much to him, however, as he had meant to me. I wouldn't let it ruin my time here though. As I went towards the end of the beach where Will and the others would soon exit out of, I tried to peer through the trees to see if I could spot William's weapon or anything of that substance. Finally, I saw Gibbs' canteen and carefully made my way towards it.

When I was positive nothing was going to jump out and shank me, I picked the canteen up and looped it around my neck like a decorative and handy necklace. Then I went in search of the sword that I had been jealous of since seeing the movie. Picking it up from where it was lying on the ground, I swung it around like Will had done earlier. It felt awkward in my hand and I laughed at imagining him swinging around upside down while trying to cut someone.

There was a sudden movement from my left and with a start I swung the sword towards it, almost slicing Pintel's gut open. "What the bloody hell are you doing woman!?" He yelped and I swung the sword back behind me trying to hide it. Luckily, I didn't cut myself while doing this. We definitely didn't need a repeat of last time I was here and got my back sliced open. Sadly, the henna tattoo was never the same after that day.

"Why would you sneak up on someone like that, in the woods, on an island full of cannibals?" I shot back, following him from the woods as he shook and muttered to himself. "Alright, listen hear you stupid pirate, I am not some woman you can push around and tell what to do. I can think for myself and…Hey! Listen to me." I yelled when Pintel just ran back to the ship, yelling obscenities about the mooring line. Realizing we were going nowhere fast, I made my way back to the beach still swinging my sword every which way.

There was a large yell, and I looked back. My heart leapt in my chest as I saw Will running towards us. "Will!" I yelled, throwing my arms out and flinging his sword at him. Thank god his reflexes were amazing or my unplanned action would have caused more damage than Pintel's slice. Will caught the sword and looked at me like a madwoman, which I probably was, and then he grabbed me into a hug before looking around. "She's not here, Will; I'm sorry." I told him while looking up and he nodded.

"Excellent! Our work's half done," Gibb's said as he took over on some of the ropes that Pintel was struggling to hold. Pintel struggled to come to grips for a moment and then made up some excuse to get them/us out of trouble. I let go of Will and followed the rest of the crew to the ladder that led up to the top. This would probably be one of the most hilarious things I had ever seen if I got the right spot. Because almost everything in this movie was better in person.

"We done it for you, knowing that you'd be coming back for it," Pintel struggled to say but Gibb's cut him off in his panic to be away from the Pelegosta's. "Make ready to sail boys!" He yelled while looking around half-cockeyed and crazy. The man was probably in need of his flask and I felt bad that I couldn't just throw it at him. I doubted that his reflexes were as good as Will's at this point in his life. Almost at the same time, Will and I both spoke out.

"What about Jack?"

"Gibbs my good man, I have something for you."

Gibbs gave a pause and Will took the time to go on. "I won't leave without him." With a sudden burst of movement, I jumped back into the water, thinking about the poor dog that we would have to leave behind. I saw that he would have to be the king at the end of the credits, and thee poor creature didn't deserve that type of death. An 'Oi!" rang out from down the beach and I stopped my scrambling to see Jack burst through the trees. My heart rate sped faster as I watched his drunken run come nearer. Just as quickly as Jack had came, the crazy cannibals appeared from behind the tree line. "Time to go." Will spoke quickly and I forgot about the dog and Jack and ran for my life.

"Cast off those lines!" Gibbs shouted like a crazy man. Jack continued to scream gibberish as he ran towards us but most of it was lost in the spray of the sea water. Finally making it back to the ladder, I climbed up with help from one of the cleaner crew members. "Thanks very much," I said in a Jack-like tone and the crewman smiled down at me. As I heaved myself over the deck, Jack finally made it to the ship.

"Alas, my dear children, this is the day you shall always remember as the day that you almost," As a huge wave hit him I finished the line for him. "Ate, Captain Jack Sparrow!" Will laughed with me as the wave let up and Jack was revealed again. With a pat on the back in acknowledgement, Gibbs went to help the Captain onto his beloved ship.

"Let's put some distance between us and this island and head out to open sea." The first mate said as Pintel and Ragetti tried to blend in with the crowd as they adorned Jack in his 'effects.' Jack looked a bit off balance and then his dark eyes cleared when he realized he was on steady ground. Well, as steady as you could get while being on the open water.

"Yes to the first. Yes to the second; but only insofar as we keep to the shallows as much as possible." When he looked up, I waved to Jack and did my best to keep the smirk off my face as his own eyes widened and he looked like he'd seen a ghost. Maybe he had thought that we'd died. It was a pretty logical explanation for why we jumped into the water and never came back up the last time we were with them. But who would want to kill themselves when they could spend time with Captain Jack Sparrow? Anyways, I digress from the actual plot line.

"That seems a bit contradictory, Captain." Gibbs pointed out as Jack's face went tense.

"I have all faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Master Gibbs. Now where is that monkey; I want to shoot something." As if it had been called, the dreaded sea-monkey that haunted my nightmares for freaking _days_ after the first time I encountered it dropped something wooden to the ground. Ragetti dove for his eye like a man who had been starved for food and had just found a four-course meal. Pintel got ready to hand over his pistol and then Will interrupted.

"Jack. Elizabeth is in danger." He spoke with so much vigor that I felt extremely sorry for Elizabeth because while she was a total idiot, this boy was wrapped around her finger and would probably never leave her to do her own thing. This would be the good thing about Jack, he could do what he wanted and I would be able to do what I wanted. That is, if we did anything about it at all.

Jack walked towards the helm, rolling his eyes and nodding to me on the way. I followed after Will as Jack continued to speak. "Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her or just locking her up somewhere." With all the sensitivity of a man who had never been in love, Jack continued to ignore Will who was hurting inside I was sure. "She is locked up! Bound to hang for helping you." He yelled after Jack who once again, seemed not to care.

"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes." I tripped leaping up the stairs after the men, but since I knew this movie by heart I knew where we were going. While Will acted like a douche bag, telling us that we needed to make haste to Port Royal (who wanted to do that? They weren't even there anymore) I sat on the steps and nursed my banged up knee until I heard something. "How much do you know about Davy Jones?" Jack asked Will and I tried to speak words with my eyes when Will looked down at me.

"Not much," Will said questioningly and I groaned and laid my head back against the stairs of the main deck. How could this kid be so stupid? "Yeah; this is going to save Elizabeth." Jack said mangling the word Elizabeth and then practically twiddling his thumbs as Will nodded like he was going to jump off the ship and kill Davy Jones right then and there. What a freaking idiot! Now this wasn't a Will bashing moment, but seriously why would he listen to Jack about something he knew nothing about? And how could Gibbs just sit there and let Will be practically sacrificed?

Pirates.

As if he had heard my scoffing, Jack looked down on me whilst narrowing his eyes. "Well, hello there, Captain Sparrow." I said in my most charming tone. Getting up from the stairs and putting a limp in my step, I walked up the stairs to meet them. I tried to be coy as I peered up at Jack (had he grown?) but failed utterly as I walked into the helm and knocked into Will. Thankfully, Will caught me before I could splay to the ground and flash everyone my underwear. Why had they chosen to put me in a skirt this time?

"Still as graceful as always, I see. What are you doing on my ship?" He asked, tilting his head back and clutching the wheel like it would give him strength. I guess with me though he needed strength not to hurl me off the side as I got in the way. Shrugging I smiled and creeped on him. For those of you who don't know my creeping face, it consists of curling your upper lip off your teeth in a weird grin and making your eyes crazy. Works almost 100 percent of the time as well.

"Well, I'm back to annoy you of course. Besides, would you really have wanted to leave me on that island if you had known I was there?" Sidling away from me and handing the wheel to Gibbs, Jack gave me a forced grin and then acted like he had to do something else. Of course, because that wouldn't work to throw me off, I followed. "So tell me Jack, did I miss anything while I was away?"

Turning slightly, Jack peered up at me from under his hat. I continued to lean on the railing that overlooked the rest of the deck. "Nothing of importance, luv. Though I have to ask, where is your comrade Ms. Maria? She's far less talkative and much better company than your blabbering charisma." Slapping my hand across my chest and pretty much killing my hand on my beads, I pretended to be hurt by his accusations.

"I'm doing lovely, Jack, thank you." While he rolled his eyes and continued on his way to his cabin, I followed down the stairs and stopped when I reached his door. He was standing just inside at his desk and I leant up against the doorway. "Did you miss me, Jackie? And be honest with me, because I've got some things to tell you if you're polite." Turning with a bottle of rum in his hand and a map in the other, he gave me his classic piratical smile and tilted his head.

"Everyday, Ms. Taylor, but not as much as I missed having you gone." His face turned joking as I narrowed my eyes and flung a spare hat hanging on a lantern at him. Obviously the damn thing missed and Jack laughed at my poor attempt. "New rule on the ship, luv; no throwing things at the Captain. Or causing him physical harm. Or emotional harm. Actually, just don't cause me any harm at all and everything will be just."

I cut him off by leaping at him and pulling his hair before stealing his rum bottle. "Oops. I seem to have missed the rules," I said making my eyes wide and then sticking my tongue out at him. "What happened to your hat, by the way? I really am going to miss stealing that ratty old thing."

"My hat was not ratty, nor was it old. And it happened to work fabulously at shielding my delicate features from the sun. Now, if you would kindly hand me back my bottle I won't have to beat you with it." With a weary sigh, I steeled myself and took a swig out of the bottle before tossing it to Jack. He caught it lovingly and then glared at me before taking a seat. I sat down on the table across from him seeing as he was devoid of other chairs and sat with my hands folded across my knees.

After a few minutes of staring at him and testing out my creeping skills, he looked up with a 'what' face. "I missed you too, Jack. Now as I was saying before I have to tell you of a new arrival that has joined Maria and I this year." Setting down his compass and throwing his feet onto the table, he waved his arm for me to go on. "My friend from school, Ann, has joined us for another one of our rousing adventures. At this present moment in time, she is with Elizabitch and Maria, searching for Will. This also brings me to my next point; are you really going to leave Will with Davy Jones? Taking advantage of his naïveté is not a very friendly thing to do."

"And what do you know about that, Taylor? Would you like to stay with him?" Sighing, Jack got up and walked around to the other side of the table to stand before me. Like he was going to reprimand a small child, Jack put his hands on his hips and laid it out for me. "As you've seen before my plans always have an upside and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things work out. So if you have a problem with it, I suggest you leave now." He waited like I was going to jump up and scurry off. When I stayed put, he continued. "One more thing, I don't know where Jones is so I'll figure it out when I get there. And if you ask me it seems like you care a bit too much for Ms. Swann's fiancé."

With an amused laugh, I stood up so I was standing up against Sparrow. "Jealous?" I asked while tilting my head back to look him in the eyes. It was his turn to laugh as he looked down at me. "Hardly." He replied. I knew what was going to come next, and as much as I wanted it, I was going to make him work to win me over. As he leaned down to kiss me, I side stepped him and then made it to the door before he looked back up. "Sorry, but like you said, maybe I've developed a thing for blacksmiths."

Leaving Jack glaring at me and probably cursing my name, I walked out of the cabin and to the side of the ship where Elizabitch and Jack would soon have their moment. God, how I hated her. With a sigh, I looked out to the ocean, noticing that we were indeed in the shallows because I could see almost to the sea floor. Not surprisingly, a few ocean creatures were lurking around and I got excited as I saw a few dolphins. When I heard a laugh from beside me, I looked up to see Will smiling at me and looking out at the horizon.

"It's wonderful to have you back, Ms. Taylor." He said and I smiled and nodded back at him. "Now, as much as I didn't want to believe that you were a gypsy and could tell the future, I must ask you one thing. I know you might not be able to reveal much but please just tell me if I will ever see Elizabeth again." I felt my heart wrench at his question and saw the aching in his own eyes.

"You were asking about Elizabeth on the island earlier weren't you? Not about Maria and if she had come back with me?" Will looked guilty for a minute, probably thinking about what he should have been asking me. Then he nodded and something evil took over my brain. Probably my protectiveness of Maria lashing out of me. "I can't tell if you will see her again, William. Your future is looking very," I paused in thought waiting for something to come to me, "_Dark and wet_." I said, giggling to myself at the double entendre.

With a sad smile and a slightly cautious look, Will left me to my cackling. When I was sure that he was gone and thought I was a crazy person, I looked back into the ocean. The sigh I let loose this time was for real, and as I rubbed my arms and leaned my head back to catch some of the waning sun I thought of my two best friends and how they were faring. With any luck, this whole thing with Tia Dalma would be over quickly and I would be in Tortuga with my best buds in a day or two.

Just as I was thinking this, a shout from the crows nest and Gibbs's curse came forth.

"Land ho!"

"Mother of God, stop screaming so bloody loud!"

It was good to be back.

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_Next time on Dead Man's Breast?: Taylor spars with the sea witch, Davy Jones asks Jack for a trade, and they finally, finally, make port in Tortuga. But will Ann and Maria be there? Find out next time on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Breast!_

Note: Well, I hope that you enjoyed Taylor meeting Jack and the rest of the crew again because I know I enjoyed writing. And thanks for all of the awesome reviews that I've gotten for the first chapter. You guys are amazing and inspire me to write more for you. Anyways, leave me some feedback on what you think. And get outside and read if you can because it's summer and it's inspiring. Have a fling, meet some friends, but make sure you have fun!

Peach out!


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Again, I don't look like a mouse, an extremely old man, or Jerry Bruckheimer. Plus, if I was Walt Disney I would be back from the dead which would be awesome, but essentially improbable. Damn.

Author's Note: I am a terrible person. I'll give you that and I have no excuse to give. So here is the chapter and I will start the next one like right now. So enjoy it and give me a shout please? Thanks to the 15 reviewers from last chapter too. You guys rock my socks and are probably the coolest people alive!

And if you guys have a second, I just want to say one thing.

If you are going to flame me, why the hell would you do it anonymously? Are you so scared that I'll come back and flame you that you have to be a child and bash me without letting me defend myself? I don't mind constructive criticism and I know that, yeah, some of my writing is done with errors but I've grown to learn from those things. But if you're just going to leave me some feedback like 'you suck' or something such as that, at least have the balls to put your name. It's so frustrating when people just expect that because you put your writing out there it's going to be perfect. Reality check people, it's not. So stop being annoying little bitches, grow up, and sign your name next time you choose to flame me with some crap about how your dog could write better than me. Thanks.

I know it's not everyone who does that crap, but it just irks me when people do. And I know you all are like, "Wow, what a bitch." But I'm really not. It just stings when you try hard and people are just plain rude about it. Sorry for taking up all that time, so on to the story! Thanks again to all the people who are true reviewers with constructive criticism that is nice but also helps at the same time.

Smile!

* * *

_Chapter Three:_

_Wanted: Gypsy With Flare For the Paranormal_

"Seven doors, seven doors," I said in an eerily creepy voice as the darkness that had descended upon us seemed to crowd us from all sides. The crew members sat silently as I worked my gypsy magic on Ragetti. "You are coming up on the first door. Seven doors, seven doors, and this one is yellow." It was Marty's turn to gasp as Ragetti reached out a hand and seemed to turn a door knob. I tried to contain my laughter as I cleared my throat to continue. "Seven doors, seven doors."

"Bloody hell, will you shut up for a moment, please?" I took my hands away from Ragetti's surprisingly clean forehead and looked up at Jack with a stern face. His arms were crossed and he was staring down at me as if at any moment he was going to jump from his perch and shut my mouth for me. And not in a good way either. I, however, was never one to let Jack think that he'd gotten the better of me.

"If you wanted to know your future, Captain Sparrow," I said, addressing the crew more so than him, "All you had to do was ask." The crew now turned to face their captain eagerly and Cotton stopped the rowing completely. I was still amazed that he could row this boat by himself when we were all in here and it was a pretty big boat.

Not one to back down from a challenge, Jack held out the hand that wasn't wrapped in cloth. "Oh, sorry, but it only works with the left hand." I gazed up at him innocently but the small smirk on my face told him that I was up to no good. He continued to hold out his right hand and when I realized that this was as good as it got, I took his palm and wrapped both of my hands around it. Tracing the lines that ran across his palms, I ran my index finger over the M that looked like it was turned into his skin.

When I looked up, it was into chocolate eyes that were staring down into my own. I lost my breath for a moment before I could speak again. "Uh, well, let's see here. This M right here," I traced the M again and felt my cheeks heat up slightly, thankful for the darkness that surrounded us. "It means that you're going to be getting married sometime in your future. That is if you haven't already been married at one point."

"I believe you've put me off marriage for a long time now, Taylor." At my indignant scoff, he looked around at his crew. "Everyone can agree with me on the fact that the miss is a bit of a handful, aye?" Dropping Jack's hand, I crossed my arms and glared at the crew knowing they knew if they agreed with their captain I would make their lives living hells. It was Ragetti that spoke up for me.

"It seems t'me tha' she's a right fine fortune teller tho," Sticking my tongue out at Jack, I patted Ragetti's hand and smiled at him sweetly. He blushed and I patted his hand once more before folding my hands in my lap. I liked the guy, sure, but I didn't want him to get any false ideas.

Jack rolled his eyes and then glared at me. I stared right back, blinking once and then looking away, knowing that I'd lost. "Cotton, commence rowing." Jack turned back away, keeping his balance as we rowed deeper into the dank swamp. "My first and only love is the sea," He muttered to himself and I hid a small grin. Then, I moved closer up the boat towards Jack.

"I actually have a rather good question if you can believe that, Captain." I told him and he watched me from the corner of his eyes, giving me permission to speak. "How do you know that Tia Dalma is actually going to give you what you want and not rat you out? Fortune tellers may be able to see a certain one person's future, but that doesn't stop them from telling everyone." Jack turned his head down towards me as I knelt next to his boots while he stood.

"Imagine; the last thing you know on god's green earth is the roar of the Kraken," Gibbs was saying behind us and I rolled my eyes. Jack tensed up slightly at the mention of the beast, and I remembered that we had missed pretty much the first twenty minutes of the movie. "And the reeking odor of a thousand rotting corpses." I looked back at Mr. Gibbs, who caught my eye and then looked at Jack with trepidation. With one last glance, Gibbs finished with, "If you believe such things."

Will, however, was not convinced and pried deeper while lowering his voice and looking over to Jack under his hair. "And the key will spare him of this?"

"That's what Jack's trying to find out, dumbass." I muttered before turning on Will and facing Jack. He gave me a questioning glance and I shrugged my shoulders. Why did it seem that everyone in this movie was all friendly with each other and felt that I was intruding. I'm pretty positive that the love wasn't being felt like this last time, especially when I thought about Jack and Elizabitch. I shuddered to imagine.

Finally Tia Dalma's shack rose up in the distance. I peered into the greenery around it and tried my best to spot some of the hidden people. I was staring particularly hard at a spot on the wood when something beside it moved and I saw a young boy. Creepy. As the boat hit the short dock, Jack stepped out and began his monologue about Miss Dalma. "No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back; thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are." He paused in thought. "Were; have been; before."

With Gibbs' help, I got out of the boat and stood next to Jack, staring up at him and trying not to laugh as he guarded his invisible hat from me. "What did you do? Cheat on her?" Spearing me with a glare that told me to mind my own business, Jack turned to Gibbs. "I'll watch your back." He said to his Captain in a show of friendship or maybe just loyalty. Feeling like I hadn't stolen enough lines in this story yet, I cut Jack off.

"It's his front he's worried about." Gibbs looked at me and then rolled his eyes as Jack moved on without us. "Mind the boat," I whispered to the first mate and he nodded at me in all seriousness. Listening to the crew mime the same words as the person in front of them, I made my way up the rickety ladder trusting Gibb's not to look. By the time I made it up, Jack was peeking over the top of the door while crouching down. "What are you doing?" I asked in a whisper as I crouched down next to him.

"Waiting for the opportune moment." He replied before swinging the door open with a push of his fingers. I looked over his shoulder as he continued to crouch down. The first thing I noticed about Tia's hut was that it was about one hundred times more messy than the set for the movie. The snake hanging from the tree growing up through the middle of the crowded area was real too. I gulped back my discomfort as the sea witch herself looked up from where she was plotting.

"Jack Sparrow," She said as she stood up from her seat and sashayed her way over to where Jack was now standing upright with me hiding behind his coat and Gibbs watching out for anything behind us. As he became more comfortable with his surrounding, Jack responded to Tia Dalma and almost walked into a hanging jar of what looked to be eyeballs. "I always knew t'a win' was goina blow ya back t'a me one day." Her accent was almost undecipherable, but no one else seemed to notice.

As Jack stumbled towards Tia in a drunken manner, she smiled at him before Will caught her attention. She bypassed Jack whose dumb smile stayed like a permanent fixture on his face while she leaned in close to Will. Because I was standing next to him, I caught the incense like smell coming from her dress and got to see those lovely black teeth up close.

"You 'ave a touch o' destiny abo' you, William Turner." She spoke in that lilting speech and Will's intrigued look just fueled the fire of the sea witch. As the rest of the crew filed in behind us, I heard their whispering about gypsies.

Will took a step forward, closer to Tia, like she held all of the answers to his questions. I'm not going to lie though; she most likely did. "You know me?" He asked as if everything that had happened so far was child's play when compared with a fortune teller.

"You want to know me?" She asked in a seductive tone. I snorted out my laughter at the look on Will's face because even if he had his precious Elizabitch, he was a man and was most likely affected by women throwing themselves at him. Except of course if they were my best friend. Douche.

At this, Jack rushed over knocking me slightly out of the way and back towards where the python was wrapped precariously around the tree trunk. I yelped out and grabbed onto Pintel who watched me warily. "Get off me, if you please, Ms. Taylor." He said while pushing me back towards Will and Jack. "There'll be no knowing here!" Jack yelped and took Tia around the waist. "We've come for help and we're not leaving without it." As they walked away back towards her table in the middle of the hut, Jack whispered in what he thought was a low voice, "I thought I knew you?"

"Not so well as I had hoped. Come," Tia said to the rest of the crew. Under my breath I couldn't help but agree with this woman.

"That's what we all say." Dalma's head snapped up towards me and the deep cerulean color of her eyes struck me as odd and yet I stayed put as if I was under some sort of trance. "You are a," She looked me up and down before assessing my clothing. "Fortune teller, are you not?" While the 'fake' before the word fortune wasn't said, it was certainly implied.

I shrugged my shoulders and her black smile had me wishing I had just kept my mouth shut. Jack saved me from whatever this woman had to say next. "Come," He said with more emphasis this time and I moved next to his side so that I was between him and Will.

As Will took a seat, Jack put a hand on my back to push me closer to the table. Tia took this time to commence her seduction of Mr. Turner. "Wha' service may I do y'a?" Jack she addressed in a much sharper tongue. "You know I demand payment.."

"I brought payment!" He said in a giddy voice and I immediately felt bad for the poor undead monkey that was about to be tortured for the next week or so. Which reminded me; somewhere in this old rundown hut was a dead Barbossa, possibly alive, that I could torture and get back at for the hell he caused me the last time I was here. As Jack explained the reason the monkey was so important, I slipped away from the table and walked towards the back where the boots were shown in the movie.

The damn hut was so hard to navigate though that I ended up in the hallway that led out to the back of the hut and it wasn't until I realized that that log that I thought was just bobbing around was actually an alligator. "Shit," I whispered and as I whipped around I saw a little girl standing in the hallway behind me. "Hum, hello there sweetheart."

The child opened her mouth and where her teeth should have been there was something weird. I began to back away towards where I had come from when she walked closer. "No, no, I think it would just be better if we stayed away, perhaps if you just went back to where you came from," I trailed off as she took my hand and yanked me down closer. "Sure, this is cool too, I guess."

"He's going to trade you." She told me in an eerie voice that sounded suspiciously like that of Tia Dalma's.

"Who's going to do what?" I asked while trying not to focus on what I could now see were rotted out teeth and inflamed gums. This kid needed to see a good dentist from what I could tell.

The girl shook her head and then transferred something into my hand. "It will change everything," She said with her creepy little kid voice, "It will take you home." She let go and I gripped whatever was in my hand as what she said sunk in. Before I had time to say anything to her she had gone through the open door to the swamp, disappearing into the night.

"Weird." I turned back and began to haul ass back to where Jack and the others were when I saw the little room with the boots and the monkey. My breath hitched while I walked towards the open door. Right as I reached it, however, Jack called out my name and the attention was once again turned towards me. "Yes, well, you see I just got turned around and there might be something back here that I saw."

Tia Dalma stood from her seat and I backed away from the open door, but not without sneaking a peek first. What I saw had me breathing out a sigh. Just boots; no Barbossa to be seen or heard of. Walking dejectedly back to the table I leaned against the back of Will's chair and listened to what I had interrupted. As Tia settled back down in her chair, she explained to her listeners.

"You kno' o' Davy Jones, yes? A man o' da sea. 'E was a great sailor," She spoke, getting comfortable in her chair. I looked over to see what Jack was doing and saw him pocket some little bag of coins. Pushing my foot out, I kicked him slightly in the knee causing him to look up slightly at me and flash a quick smile. Naturally, I rolled my eyes. "Until 'e ran afoul o' wha' vexes all men."

"And what is it that vexes all men?" Will asked looking all too interested. Tia smiled at him, running her fingers along his own. "What indeed." She said with her seductive tone again.

"Sums!"

"The sea."

"The dichotomy of good and evil?!"

"Dear lord, could you spare me?" I asked no one in particular. Jack having felt the same way rolled his eyes. I looked at Ragetti with a sympathetic look, not meaning to have offended him as he looked at the glass jar of eye balls as if they could hold his own eye. Once again, creepy.

"A woman." Jack said with no particular interest. The men all gasped, grasping on to what Tia Dalma was saying like it was the word of God himself. Knowing this all by heart anyways, I walked closer to Jack and put my elbow on his shoulder, rising up a little on my tiptoes to reach him. "Have you ever fallen in love, Sparrow?" He looked at me before rolling his eyes.

"I've already told you once, love; my first and only love is the sea. Had you asked if I'd ever been in lust, the answer would have to be yes." He looked down at me from where he towered over me and I narrowed my eyes while folding my arms across my chest.

"You are a totally lewd man, Jack." I told him while turning away and trying to listen to the story. Even from behind me I could tell he was smirking. "And if you say pirate, I'll make sure your eyeballs go into that jar next to Ragetti before we leave."

Just as we were catching the tail end of the intriguing conversation, Will stood up and got all up in Sparrow's grill. "You knew this?" He questioned vehemently. Jack, of course, had to half-ass his way out of it with a quick lie and a lot of charm.

"I did not! I didn't know where the key was," Acting like he had just thought of this, he continued with a happy-go-lucky smile from his golden teeth. "But now we do. So all that's left is to climb aboard the _Flying Dutchman_; find the key. Then you go back to Port Royal and save your bonny lass, eh?" He turned to leave as Tia Dalma stood up and held out her palm.

"Let me see your hand." She said in a commanding voice. Jack smiled and held out his right hand, which we already knew would get us nowhere. Please, everyone knows your left hand is the fortune palm. At least, that's what I've always heard. The exchanging glances between the two pirates did not go unnoticed and I whistled as he held out the right hand. "You're in some deep shit now, Jackie."

The glare I received was worth it as the 'Black spot' was revealed. "My eye sight's as good as ever just so you know." Jack said as his crew members freaked out. I couldn't help but disagree and decided to voice my opinion as Tia was in the back looking for the jar of dirt.

"Are you sure your eyes are working? I mean, that looks like its been festering for awhile. Maybe you didn't see it? Or maybe you were a little too chicken to tell your crew, aye?" I asked with my best pirate accent. It was sub par at best though because as I finished, Jack had rounded on me and was looking extremely pissed off and like he wanted to leave me here to fester in this hell.

Luckily, I was spared by Tia reentering the room. As she spoke about the lovely little jar of dirt, I imitated her from behind Will's back. "Davy Jones can not make port, can not step on land but once for every ten years. (Davy Jones is a scaly man fish like Old Greg. I used to be in love with him but he hates black teeth.) Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow. (I didn't understand it but whatever because you look hot, Jack Sparrow.) So you will carry land with you. (So you'll have to carry this dumb jar for the next eternity.)"

As I finished my little monologue, I realized that Tia Dalma was watching me with her dark eyes growing even darker. "Sorry; I wasn't quite sure if you could hear me or not." I told her, trying not to cause a fight when she looked like she could throw me down.

"If you think you have a better idea than we would love to hear it." She said, her Louisiana/Jamaican accent falling short as she slipped into proper English. I was taken aback as she drew near me. "I can see that why you are here is to meddle but let me warn you, Taylor Downs, by changing this past you are changing your future."

I looked at her weirdly before just nodding and looking around. "Sounds like a plan, Tia Dalma, but I'm going to just have to walk away and be cool." Will was my savior this time as he brought the attention back to finding Davy Jones. I just couldn't help myself as she threw those random items down though. "He's in the middle of some run down cove not too far from here. It's pretty classy actually."

Everyone rolled their eyes as Jack began to usher us out after finding what he could from Tia Dalma. As we were leaving, however, I spotted something in the corner that I just now had remembered Jack picking up before in the movie. "My hat!" I yelled as I grabbed for the peacock feather that was perching precariously on top of the old grey hat. "Oh, Jack, you have to make her let me have this." I told him.

Jack snapped the hat from my hand before throwing it to Tia Dalma, who looked to be in some sort of trance as she stroked the heart locket that was on her table. "Now, now, Taylor, let's just get out of here before she puts some sort of spell on you, aye? I'm beginning to believe that she's correct in saying you're a mischievous little fake."

Forgetting about my hat, I let Jack lead me out of the cabin without protest. Reaching out, I touched the python's smooth skin as we left. Then, I rubbed the nasty stuff off on Jack's coat. "You deserve it." I told him as we jumped down the ladder. "You're just jealous that I found my hat when yours is gone."

"I've done many a thing in my lifetime, but I don't think I have enough bad karma to be stuck with you." Jack muttered. I huffed and sat in the dinghy as we rowed back out to where the _Pearl_ was located. It wasn't until Will roused me from my slight sleep that I remembered the token the little girl had given me back in the hut. I opened my hand, amazed that it was still there, and frowned when I saw what the token was.

A golden, u-shaped hair clip. That, if I remembered correctly, Maria had been wearing when we left last night.

* * *

The rain started about an hour after we were back on the _Pearl_. Darkness had descended upon us as we approached the rundown ship that supposedly held the key that Will was going to have to retrieve for Jack. As I stood huddled underneath an extra coat that I had found in Jack's cabin, I watched Will look out at the wrecked boat in disbelief.

"That's the _Flying Dutchman_?" He asked with a sarcastic edge to his tone. I continued to look out at the ship, fighting the urge to just tell Will everything now and see how the movie would play out. Also the fight-or-flight symptoms I was feeling might have something to do with the nausea. I really didn't want to go head to head with the one thing that truly scared me about this move: Davy Jones. "She doesn't look like much."

Jack was always quick with the comebacks. "Neither do you. Do not underestimate her." I glared at Jack while he looked back out to the sea with Gibbs and Will. It was silent until a well-placed elbow to the ribs brought out the Chatty Cathy in the first mate.

"Must have run afoul of the reef."

I looked over the edge of the ship to the water below where Ragetti was working on getting Will's 'chariot' together. "The water doesn't look too shallow and the chances or a reef being around in this much open water doesn't seem too likely." I stated when I faced them again. Jack ever so kindly pushed me out of the way to stand between Will and I.

"So what's your plan then?" Jack asked Will in the simplest of terms. I looked up at Jack, realizing that the kohl under his eyes hadn't ran all over his face yet, and that the rain had drenched his whole body. Dang. Turning my attention back to Will, who if I admitted was equally hot, didn't help. So I resorted to looking at Gibbs, who was unattractive seeing as he was about sixty years old and looked a bit like my grandfather.

"I row over, search the ship for your bloody key," Will started in a monotone like voice while rolling his eyes at Jack.

"And if there are crewmen?"

"I cut down anyone in my path." Walking away from Jack, Will made his way towards the side of the ship that held the ladder type carving and began to climb his way down. Jack looked satisfied with the plan. "I like it, Simple and easy to remember." Together we walked over to where Ragetti was hassling Will. "Oi! If you do happen to get captured just tell em' Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt. Might save your life!" And with that cheery goodbye, Jack turned around and left Will on his own.

"Be careful, Will! And whatever you do, don't answer the question about death!" After screaming my lungs and warnings out to Will, I turned around to see Jack standing behind me. "What you're doing is wrong, Sparrow." I told him while walking away and going back to stand underneath the top deck where the rain wouldn't reach me.

Jack followed me after watching Will's lonely lantern moving around the shipwreck. "I do what I have to do to survive, Taylor. Obviously, though, you know something that I don't." Crossing his arms over his chest, Jack stood in front of me, shaking some rain out of his eyes.

"You know that I can't say anything. It's the same rules as last time, Jack. All I can tell you for certain is that everything is going to get worse and you may have just sentenced your one friend to death." Looking down at the hair clip in my hand. Had I just changed everything by telling him that? Since nothing grand had happened to me, I figured I was okay.

Looking back up at Jack, I realized that he was standing closer than I had originally thought. "He chose his path and now we have to chose our own. If I remember correctly you couldn't tell me what was going to happen but you could tell me if everyone was going to be okay." Looking past him at the crew who was working frantically to keep the ship anchored, I closed my eyes. The screams on deck had me moving past Jack and forgetting the question completely.

There in plain sight of all people to see was the real _Flying Dutchman_. "Oh god; I can't look at it. I can't sit here and watch Will get taken." I grabbed the frozen Ragetti on the arm and shook him impatiently. The feat was not easily done because although he was a skinny pirate, he was also taller than me. "Ragetti, I need you to let me into the kitchen. It is extremely important that this happens _right now_."

Ragetti nodded and began to walk in a stiff manner towards the door on the deck that would lead us to the under belly, when he stopped abruptly. "No, no, no," I mantra'd while turning around and coming face to face with a scaly, slimy, and altogether disgusting eel type person. I basically threw up in my mouth when the weird thing touched my arm and ushered me over to where Davy Jones was harassing Jack. "Holy freaking crap." I muttered through my fear clenched mouth.

"Technically I was only captain for two years, before I was viciously mutinied upon." Jack was saying as he walked slowly away from Jones who just followed him. The evil octopus on the back of his head moved and I felt like Woody on Toy Story when I breathed out in a frightened manner.

"You were a poor captain, but a captain none the less. Have you not introduced all these years as Captain Jack Sparrow?" The sarcasm was more than heard but felt also as the sea water spewed from his mouth. Jack seemed to steel up as he prepared to go head to octopus with Jones.

"You already have my payment. One soul to serve on your ship; he's already over there." Jack said with what was supposed to be a convincing tone, but if you listened close enough you could hear the slight note of fear.

"Dirty, rotten, filthy pirate." I whispered as I thought about Will over on the other ship. Sure I wasn't the kids biggest fan, but I definitely thought this was not one of Jack's finer moments. The eel man that was holding me shook me quickly and a inkling of my fear slipped out in a squeak.

"One soul does not equal another." Jones told Jack who looked like he had just one the lottery with this newest break through. "Aha! So now we've established my proposal is sound in principal and now we're just haggling over a price."

"Price." The word was spoken, not in a questioning form but in a way that made my skin crawl when actually hearing it. This was turning out to be an even scarier first meeting than when I came into contact with Barbossa.

"Just how many souls do you think my soul is actually worth?" Jack asked. I wished upon all things that I could actually see his face when he said this, seeing as it was probably one of the most mind melting faces he would make the whole movie, but moving from where I was now was inconceivable. And not in the way that it's said on The Princess Bride.

Davy Jones thought about it for a moment before his eyes lit up in sadistic promise. "One hundred souls." He said with a quirk of his lips. The relief at the bargain had Jack turning from Jones in false hope while speaking. I tried really hard to become conspicuous as Jones looked over to Jack. What Jack said was drowned out as the hammer head man growled in an awkward sound of lion and snake. Trippy. "I keep the boy. A good faith payment," Jones said with a laugh.

I zoned out while Jack tried to sale Will off for more than just one soul, my sympathy going out to the ex-blacksmith as I thought about how really in all reality it was Elizabeth's fault that this was happening. If the girl would just stop being such a needy person and had just stayed in jail instead of breaking loose she probably could have had a great deal.

Jack and Jones looked to be about ready to sign in 'ink' when the eel man's teeth snapped in my ears. The attractive 'eek' I let loose was enough to bring the attention to me in less than a millisecond. Jones, of course, was surprised to see a feminine person on the crew. As he walked closer to where I was standing, eyes closed and ears sharp, I willed Jack to say something that would take the attention off of me.

When the boots stopped, I knew my day had come. "You must be the girl." He said and I snapped my eyes open to basically throw up in my mouth again. This dude was _jank_. "It must be terrible to have your betrothed taken away by the Captain he called a friend."

"He's not my betrothed." I said in a defiant voice, trying to stand up to this squid man so I could at least keep some of my dignity. Looking past the man who now had a maniacal smile on his face, Jack watched us with wide eyes while stalking forward. Hopefully to save my ass.

"A gypsy by the looks of it. Can you tell me my future, little girl." I shook my head no and just in the nick of time, Jack slipped between us putting me behind the safety of his back. "She's really nothing special, just someone the crew keeps on board for some relief, aye?" Jack talked quickly and I let the whore innuendo fly, but only because it would save my life.

Jones looked around at his fish crew and the light in his eyes went crazy. "Then we'll trade you for her good services. Sparrow, you forget about twenty souls and I keep the girl for the rest of eternity." There was a loud intake of breath and I looked around before realizing it had been me. No freaking way was this going to be okay. I grabbed the back of Jack's coat and yanked hard.

He had to counter offer. Or just plain say no! However, he stood in front of me without wavering while all the while saying nothing. Fine, I'd do it myself. "I'm not a whore, Captain, and I don't intent on being one for your freaky little love nest." I stood defiantly, behind Jack but whatever, and kept my eyes straight ahead while some of the crew chuckled.

"No trade, it seems, Jones. Shall we just settle for the ninety-nine souls and move on?" Jack said while sticking out his hand. Before I could stop him, Jones threw in one last price as the hands were being shaken. "If you fail to get the souls I get the girl and you." Jack drew away but it was too late. The spot on his hand was fading and Jones and his crew were slipping away.

"Three days." The eerie echo was left behind even after the fish crew were gone and I walked over to the side of the boat before throwing up for real. This was freaking terrible! I was going to be traded to be a fish whore on Jones's boat because Jack wouldn't get those souls and I wasn't sure I could hide. No way would this be good.

Jack had already moved on when I went to look towards him, telling Gibbs the only thing I really wanted to hear. "Tortuga?" Gibbs asked, knowing the answer and still being shaken at the same time. Jack answered in like before wiping his grimy hand on his crewmen's shirt. As he turned to look at me, I said the only thing that came to mind.

"I can't even breathe underwater!" Taking my arm, Jack dragged me towards his cabin while I tried to remain calm. Looks like the shit has hit the fan. Tell my family I loved them and let me find my girls.

* * *

­_Next Time On Dead Man's Breast:_

_Jack and Taylor devise a plan to keep off Jones' list_

_Ann, Maria, and Taylor are reunited_

_And Elizabitch gets a taste of her own medicine when she realized Will is gone._

_Tune in next time!_

Please drop me a review if you have the time and thanks for taking the time to read it when I know it's been forever since you've gotten an update out of me! You guys are awesome.

Peace


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I don't own it, but I'd really, really like to.

Author's note: Well, it's been…about a year and a half? Maybe more? And I'd just like to apologize. SO much has been happening in my life since I've been away. I've started college and transferred colleges and blown shit up and worked my ass off. But I'm back and I'm ready for this summer to be my comeback in the writing scene. And while I'm supposed to be at work doing shit I promise to write for you lovely people. So once again, I'm sorry that I failed to update but I promise it will NOT happen again. Thanks for those that have definitely stuck with me, and thanks to all of my reviewers and favorite-ers, and etc. I love you all!

Second point: If you want to be able to keep up with my stories or just more about me, follow me on twitter. Username is prongsflower. I'll be talking about updates or answering questions about stories on there as well!

Without further ado, here is chapter four of Dead Man's Breast.

* * *

_Chapter Four:_

_Ass Rats: Life or Death_

Pacing the cabin of the _Pearl_, I continued to try and control my breathing as Jack ruffled around in his many cabinets and trunks trying to find a bottle of run or some alcohol to numb our senses before I had a heart attack. "How are you not freaking out, Jack? I don't know about you but I do not want to be a whore for a bunch of half people!" Jack didn't even spare me a glance as he continued mumbling to himself. Wringing my hands and pulling on threads in my shirt, I didn't notice until I had been seated at the table and a mug was sat in front of me that Jack had forcibly removed me.

"You will stop speaking altogether before I toss you in the ocean myself." He stated sternly as he sat across from me at the big desk sitting in the middle of his cabin. I shut my mouth quickly before grabbing the mug and holding it to my lips. Instead of cool liquid I found hot tea and my stomach thanked the pirate Captain silently. "I won' allow ye to be left to Jones, savvy?"

I nodded my head in agreement and we sat in silence for a moment as he stroked his beard. The sounds of the waves and of the crewmen hastening to bring us to Tortuga seemed to fill my senses and I felt myself calming slightly. Jack was a crazy son of a bitch most of the time, but everything he did seemed to work out in the end. Except, I knew the ending of this movie, and I knew he didn't get his happy ending, and I hadn't even _seen_ the third installment yet so who was I to say if we'd make it out _alive_?

"Jack?" I said his name softly and in question and when his kohl lined, chocolate eyes looked up at me I felt scared for one of the first times since I'd been transported into the world of Pirates the first time around. "I don't know how it all turns out this time around." My quiet admonishment seemed to put a life to him and I finally saw the panic that was starting to creep up on the Captain of the _Black Pearl_.

Folding his hands, he nodded decisively once, tilted his mug back and drank whatever, probably much stronger liquid, was inside. "Then we'll need to be hastening to Tortuga, won't we?" As he stored away his panic and his doubt for now, he stood from his desk, grabbed his coat and swung it on while walking towards the door. Before he left, he tossed that god-forsaken compass to me. "See if you can give us some kind of direction, love." He spoke with a wink and then disappeared.

As I sat holding the compass in my hand, I tried to clear my mind while thinking about what I wanted most. To be honest, the only thing I wanted at the present moment was to launch this damn compass at the Captain's head but seriously thinking I had no clue. Was it to be reunited with Maria and Ann? Was it to go home and sleep in my bed? Did I want Jack?

Whatever the answer was, I kept the lid tightly closed before wrapping it around my own belt and standing. It could wait. Right now, I knew we were going to Tortuga and I knew that if I wanted to keep Maria and Ann from flipping their lids, I was going to have to convince Jack to keep the whole trade off a secret for now. Both had seen the movie and knew how it ended. If they knew I was one of the souls to be traded they wouldn't be too enthused.

Stepping out of the Cabin, I pulled my hair off my face while the wind whipped around us. The ship was moving like it was possessed my some unearthly force and once again I was struck by how beautiful everything on the ocean was at this time of night. Turning my eyes towards the helm, I saw Jack standing in his rightful place next to the wheel. He looked like a figure carved into place as he stood and I felt tears spring to my eyes when I thought about the fact that he probably wasn't going to see his ship again after jumping into the Kraken.

Shaking myself from my staring, I climbed the stairs leading up to the helm, making sure not to hit Cotton or Gibbs and send them into the churning waters of the Caribbean. Jack heard me coming before he saw me and he moved over slightly so I could stand beside him and speak without everyone eavesdropping.

"I need you to keep the whole Davy Jones/trade off/sentenced for life business to yourself when we arrive in Tortuga." I said and he looked down at me as his eyes narrowed slightly. "I. uh, got a vision back in the cabin. We're going to reunite with some of our older friends while in Tortuga and it would be in everyone's interest if we just don't mention the fact that we're to be traded off to Jones if we don't find 99 souls in the next three days. Trust me on this one."

Looking back to the horizon, he turned the wheel slightly and nodded almost imperceptibly. "I won't mention it to anyone but myself and you. Now, get down there and do something useful; just don't get yourself tangled in the mast again, aye?" He sent me another one of his gold-toothed smiles and tightened the compass on my belt. Removing his hands from my waist, he gave me a slight push back to the stairs and I complied because there was nothing else better to do.

The crew made way for me as I walked down the stairs and tried to determine what I could do to make sure no one got thrown overboard. Settling on the crow's nest again, I started to climb the ladder, checking every few rungs to make sure no one was watching me or more importantly looking up my skirt. When I reached the top and had successfully maneuvered myself into the crow's nest, I shoved my green bandana down on my head and looked out to where the sun had just started to peak over the horizon.

It was a beautiful sight and I felt like something out of the _Titanic_ as I grabbed the mast and let the wind rush over me. When I got tired of the wind whipping me back, I settled down into the covering of the nest and allowed the roll of the ship to lull me into a false sense of security and a light sleep.

* * *

Walking through the dirty streets of Tortuga, I dodged what seemed to be the fifth bottle of whiskey that had been thrown in our general direction today. It was about midday and I was amazed at how many ruffians and thugs were out right now. Standing next to Gibbs, I watched as Jack stopped to talk to multiple wenches, avoiding their wrath for now and charming them with his smiles. Gibbs shot me a look from the corner of his eyes and I rolled my own while pulling my long ponytail tighter.

"Jack, where exactly are you heading?" I asked playing dumb and hoping beyond hope that we were just going to grab some food or something sometime very soon. I didn't know how the crewmembers were handling it but I was starving. Side-stepping a couple of children that were roaming the street, I pulled up short when Jack stopped in from of me.

"Listen, love, I'm going to ask you nicely once more. It's _Captain_ Sparrow when we're out and about." He smiled his gold-toothed smile at me, my heart racing while at the same time my face flushed in anger. "And to address your question, we be heading to the lovely _Faithful Bride._" Swinging back around in his half-drunken haze, he nodded lecherously at a few of the half-dressed girls hanging around waiting for what looked to be a trial for some upstanding gentlemen. He was standing over by the well and I noticed with a laugh that he was the same man that was being continuously dunked later on in the movie.

Realizing that I had stopped, I started my venture forward, pulling on my green t-shirt and frowning as I started to sweat. I wonder how hard it would be to get Jack to rent me a room to take a bath in? As the door opened to the half-crowded pub, I watched the crew members and Gibbs go set up shop in the back to begin to gather a crew while some of the other members went off to get the rumor started that Captain Jack Sparrow was searching for a few new sailors.

Seeing the man in question settle in a chair near the back, I took a deep breath before pulling my hair out of the ponytail it was in and ruffling it out among my shoulder. I used a nearby grimy window to wipe under my eyes for any stray mascara that would have smudged in the last few days and bit my lips a few times to add color to them. Then, as sultry as I could be, I swaggered my way over to where Jack was sitting. He caught me walking towards him about halfway there and I couldn't help myself flush in the heat of the room and I tried to sway my hips a little more.

He kicked his feet up to the table in front of him and smirked as I dragged my hand along the table, then his arm, then the back of the chair as I circled around him. Wishing my green t-shirt was deeper cut; I adjusted my skirt inconspicuously to rise a bit higher as I settled to his side. "Captain Sparrow," I started before resting my knee on the chair's armrest. Jack's fingers clenched as I saw his gaze waver from my face to the skin that was exposed on my thigh. "Would you be willing to spare me the smallest of favors?"

"Aye, love, and what would that be?" He asked while smoother than me, he grasped my knee and swung me off balance so I swung into his waiting lap. It was my turn to sway as I came face to face with his smoldering chocolate eyes. I barely noticed the hand grasping me around my ribs or the fingers that were casually spidering their way up and down my calf.

Shaking myself, I ignored the way Mr. Gibbs was smirking at me from his place further down the table or the way the bartender was yelling at some bum pirate at the end of the bar. "How hard would it be to get this girl a room with a bath?" I fluttered my eyelashes as best as I could, probably looking like I'd just had a small seizure, and I thought all was lost as Jack chuckled deeply.

"How easy it is for you to find my money bag?" He asked with a sly smile and I smirked knowing that he'd have some sort of way to get pleasure from this. Shifting slightly in his lap and trying not to let my heart rate jump up as he squeezed my ribs tighter, I put my hands on his chest and shoved him back into his chair none to easily.

"Of course, _Captain_, I'm sure you've hidden it somewhere on your person." Letting myself have a bit of fun of my own, I drug my nails down the area of his deeply tanned chest that were exposed by the loose white shirt. His skin was taut and his muscles hard before I reached his belt and he let out a strangled cough. "Oh, here it is," I said while sliding my hand around his waist to grab one of the many stolen bags of coins that I was sure he had on him. "What's my reward for finding it?" I asked smiling.

With a real laugh this time, he cupped my face and ran his thumb around my lips before raising the same hand as a tavern wench came to his aid. "Aye?" She asked with a bored lilt to her voice and I looked up at her to see an older woman eyeing us.

"Love, I'd like a room and a bath drawn for myself," He said before turning on the charm and smiling winningly at the wench. Immediately, she stuck her hand out for payment while smiling haughtily back at him. He fished around for a moment while I continued to sit on his lap and look around the tavern. The crowd was light, but it was only the beginning of the afternoon and I knew that by early evening as more ships docked and the men woke up from their hangovers, it would get crowded.

With an 'aha' Jack dropped a few coins to the woman who then dug into the top of her bodice for a key, which she handed to Jack while ignoring my outstretched hand. Nodding to the woman, Jack dropped his legs from the table and used his knees to bump me off of his lap. Without a second though, I turned to him ready to bash his face in but was interrupted again as he leaned down right to my face. "How about that room, aye?"

Spluttering along, I let him lead me down multiple hallways towards a series of staircases that then led up to what looked like an old-time hotel hallway. Muttering to himself and looking at the number on the door, he paused before sticking the key into the lock and swinging the door open widely. Waving grandly, he ushered me inside and I got a look at my surroundings. In the corner of the room stood an old, claw-footed tub with assorted soaps sitting around it. There was a washing board in the corner that I thought about using, and a bed occupied the rest of the room. There was a window on one wall and a mirror on the other.

Turning to Jack, I saw that he was lying on the bed watching me and I rolled my eyes. "You, Captain, are a pig." Deciding to ignore him now that I had gotten what I wanted, I walked over to the window and opened it slightly to let in a breeze to chill the otherwise stifling room. Then I felt the bathwater. It was lukewarm and I was probably going to freeze when I got out but it would do. Feeling Jack's eyes on me, I walked over to where the soap was sitting and took my time smelling them and choosing which one I wanted to use the most.

I jumped slightly when a hand picked one out of the group before I felt Jack's sweet smelling breath on my neck. "This one will do, Miss Taylor. It's very _tempting_." I stiffened as I felt his hands rest on my waist and turn me around. "Now, love, let's just address the very large elephant in the room." And without letting me address anything, his lips were on mine.

Tilting my head back and allowing Jack to deepen the kiss, I raised my hands to rest on his shoulder while on of his hands moved to my lower back to guide me forward and into him and the other took residence in my tangled blonde hair. We backed around the tub slowly and I let out a small sound of surprise as he slid his hands down to my thighs as he bent down and lifted me up.

Automatically, my legs wrapped around his waist for support and I felt the hilt of his sword bite into my knee but ignored it as his lips left my own. They were quickly placed on my exposed neck and I let out a breathy sigh before I caught my breath and brought his lips back up to my own. Gently, but firmly, I felt my back press into the bed as his hands slipped under the cotton of my t-shirt. Not wanting him to have a complete upper hand, I used all of my strength to flip us so I straddled him.

Looking down at him from my new positioning, I bit my lip while he smirked and brought one hand around to my stomach. The coolness of his rings on my burning flesh made me gasp and his smirk widened while his hand moved up. Our eyes didn't leave each other and I felt like I was on fire when his hand stilled at my chest. Not being able to help it, I reached for the sides of my shirt and slipped the garment off, taking my bandana with it.

Using my hands to push my hair back off my face, it was my turn to smirk as Jack watched me. "Why, Captain Sparrow, I do believe you're entirely underdressed." With a growl, he switched our positions. While he shed himself of his offending garments, I made quick work of my boots and the rest of my clothing as well.

With a sigh, I pushed my damp hair off my sweaty forehead as Jack sighed from next to me. Breathing deeply, I turned my head towards Jack as he lay next to me and let the smile grace my lips. "I believe that was the best elephant that I have ever addressed." Listening to his deep baritone laugh, I pushed myself up off the bed, trying not to blush as he saw my quite naked backside before I stepped into the tub to finally get my bath.

When I looked back over, he was still watching me with a large smirk and this time I blushed from the tips of my toes to my cheeks. "If all goes as planned tonight, we'll be addressing that more often." He said in his lilting speech and I grabbed the washrag as i worked the soap into suds. "I'll send one of the crewmen up with some attire for you." He said with a wink as he shrugged back into his shirt and coat before slipping on his boots. I watched him until he was finished and caught my eye again.

"You don't have to do that for me," I said sincerely, feeling somewhat weird about being given gifts because of what had just transpired. Seeing my look and rolling his eyes, Jack walked forward towards the tub before kneeling in front of it and twirling a piece of my wet hair around his finger. "Love, I can't have you trying to seduce me in that skirt any longer." Standing, he sent me another wink and opened the door wide.

Sending him a look and bringing my knees up to my chest quickly to shield myself, I glared while he smirked. "Besides, you'll need a proper corset if you're to be sailing with my crew this time around." As I shouted obscenities at him, he closed the door with a pop. Clenching my jaw, I closed my eyes and slid under the water, ready to throttle him.

"Miss Taylor, I said I was dreadfully sorry." Ragetti repeated again as I stalked through the hallway that would lead me back out to the front room of the tavern around an hour or two later. My hair was still slightly damp and curling from the heat, but I could do nothing about that as my boots made a thumping noise in the hall. I tightened my new belt that was holding up the surprisingly comfortable and fitting black pants that Jack had sent to my room earlier. The gray corset that was cinching my waist in above my flowing white shirt actually looked kind of cool and wasn't too bad.

What I was mad about, however, is that just as I was getting out of the tub and shimmying back into my panties Ragetti had burst in the door with the new clothes Jack had gotten me thanks to the fact that Jack had given him the damn key. He had spluttered and dropped the new clothing while blushing a million colors as he got a full frontal shot. To say I was upset was beyond words. Thankfully, he had waited outside for me to finish getting dressed and had snagged me a Kohl stick from a vendor (saying that it would help with the suns glare, which was sweet but stealing, although I did use it), helping me with the corset once I was fully clothed, and had even taken my old folded clothes without question, I was on a murder path.

"It's fine, Ragetti. I'm not mad at you, I swear. And you're being quite a gentleman about all of this." He blushed again and I smiled at him before clenching my teeth again. "Really, the only person that's going to be in pain in a few moments is Jack."

As we came out and into the surprisingly crowded front room, I swept my gaze around before finding the offending red bandana that was placed upon the head of one of the most infuriating men I had ever med. Waving goodbye to Ragetti, who walked off to an unknown place, I made my way forward while dodging more people. It was sufficiently crowded as I watched more people filter in and begin the night's festivities. A line had formed in front of Gibbs as the 'bravest' (read stupidest) sailors signed up to sail on Jack's newest venture.

Slowing my stride, I decided to stand next to Gibbs for a moment as we listened to the tales of the sailors who were signing up. With a sick feeling, I realized that they'd be taking my spot in Jones's crew. That feeling was replaced by an even sicker feeling, however, when I realized that we obviously didn't make the 99-crew member quota. Shit.

"Truth be told, I've ne'er sailed a day in me life. I figure I shoul' ge' ou' an' see tha worl' while I'm still young." I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing as the old man in front of me smiled and leaned against his walking stick.

"You'll do; make your mark." Gibbs said before calling out, "Next!" and the next man came forward. This time I had to mouth the words as he said them.

"My wife ran off with me dog. And I'm drunk for a month. An' I don't give an ass rats if I live or die." I started giggling at the man, before I saw Jack begin to shake his compass vigorously from the other end of the table. Dirty thief must have stolen it off my belt!

"Perfect; next!" Gibbs rang out as I patted him on the back and made my way before stopping in front of Sparrow. He was muttering 'I know what I want' and I waited patiently while Gibbs continued on with his interviews. When Jack stopped and Gibbs sentenced a man to the crow's nest, I tapped my foot once and put my hands on my hips.

Looking from me to the compass, he closed it harshly and smiled at me with a raised eyebrow. "You know, I'd rather it just be the corset, love." He said with a lowered voice and I had to fight the urge to reach out and slap the smirk off his face.

"Thanks but no. Did you know that in giving the key to poor little Ragetti, he got a free show? I think I've changed my mind. One eye really does it for me nowadays." I said with a smirk as Jack let out a noise and then turned from me to Gibbs. "How're we going?" I asked before he had the chance to and I smirked at my amazing, but somewhat lacking this time around, quoting skills.

"Including those four," Gibbs questioned with a sarcasm before looking at the list as if surprised. "Four." Jack continued to ignore him, however, and I sighed while leaning up against the wall as a voice rang through me. It was deep and I looked up sharply just as Gibbs and Jack recognized the lilt. Finally, some action in this piece!

"_My _story? It's exactly the same as your story, just one chapter behind." As Gibbs wised up, Jack continued to play with his compass and I felt my heart leap as I thought about how hot James Norrington looked without that butt-ugly wig. "I chased a man across the seven seas. The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life." Grabbing the rum bottle from the table and taking a swig, I sighed in happiness as the light hit just so on Commodore James Norrington.

Truth be told, as Gibbs asked the same question Jack was thinking, I had forgotten about Jack and James's little scuffle as a familiar brunette ponytail made it's way through the bar. "Ann! Maria!" I yelled out over the din and left Jack to fend for himself as the two girls saw me and leapt across the way. We let out squeals as we jumped up and down, each talking a mile a minute, until suddenly the table was overturned and the music stopped.

"Taylor?" Maria asked and I grabbed both of their hands before making my way towards where Jack and Gibbs would eventually end up. "Come on, leave the rest for themselves. Elizabitch will eventually take care of it!" Following me, they joined in on my fast paced walking as a shot rang out and the music began at a quicker pace.

We were leaning against the stairs, Ann watching with lively eyes while Maria and I kept a look out for any flying bottles when Jack met us. "Miss Maria," He said with a nod. She rolled her eyes with a large smile, however, and we grabbed Ann who made a sharp gasp as she saw Jack Sparrow standing beside her.

Ducking and dodging bottles, fighting men, and other random misfits we eventually made our way to a back entrance of the pub and out into the street where we paused for a moment to get our bearings. Shoving past Jack, I talked animatedly to Maria about her time with Elizabitch while simultaneously listening to Ann talk to Jack. "I'm Ann Guthrie. It's fantastic to meet you. Taylor and Maria said you're even more charming than you are in the movie, which I don't see how that could be possible but whatever. You look so real. Is your facial hair really that long? Are you really drunk all the time? Most importantly, how _old are you?_"

Maria and I took a moment to look back at a bewildered Captain Sparrow while Ann waited patiently and with a smile on her face for him to answer her. "Master Gibbs, I believe you were right when you said it was bad luck to have a woman on board." He said before speeding up and walking ahead of us while talking lowly with Gibbs. It did not stop him, however, from sliding his hand across my back when he passed. With a growl I flipped him off though he couldn't see me and turned back towards my friends.

At Ann's confused look, Maria explained. "Taylor and Jack have a thing." Ann laughed and nodded but otherwise just smiled before squealing. "This is so amazing, you two! Do you understand how awesome it is? And how hard it is for me to not say anything to any of the characters to ruin it all?" I nodded and laughed as she went to harass Mr. Gibbs and Pintel who were discussing how to bring a goat onto the ship, leaving Maria and I behind.

"So, other than annoying Jack for you and trying not to strangle Elizabitch for me, how's it been so far?" Maria asked and I made sure no one was around before responding. "We went to Tia Dalma's, which was scary as shit by the way, and those boots we thought were Barbossa's? Not at all. But I ran into this little girl there and she gave me this clip. It's on the ship now in Jack's quarters, but the scary thing is. It was one of yours."

Reaching up to her own hair, Maria pulled out the same clip I had been given. "But I'm wearing the only one I had on." She said confused and I gave her a look. "This is so strange. I've also been thinking, this movie doesn't end like the first one. No one gets their happy ending. And we haven't seen the third one."

"What if we don't get to go home?" I asked her and we both looked at each other for a moment. Had this been what the whole 'mess up here, screw up your future' thing had been talking about? Deciding to not mention that to Maria, along with the Davy Jones trade in, I swung an arm around my best friend's shoulder as we walked up the dock to the _Black Pearl_ where Ann was already standing in awe.

"You know, she's worse than you are." Jack said while motioning to Ann and I opened my mouth to respond (I had a rant ready since earlier this afternoon) but was cut off as a voice rang out from behind us.

"Captain Sparrow!"

"Come to join me crew, lad? Welcome aboard." He said as he continued forward. I smirked knowing that the heart attack he was about to have would be enough to get him back for earlier.

"I'm here to find the man I love." The 'sailor' said and I couldn't contain my laughter, nor could Maria and Ann, as we watched him stop and give Gibbs a disturbed look.

"I'm deeply flattered son but my first and only love is the sea." He said while making and outing motion to Gibbs. About that time Norrington upchucked across the railing and with an excited gasp, Ann went to comfort him. "Meaning Will Turner, Captain Sparrow." Jack turned quickly muttering her name and mentioning hiding the rum and I rolled my eyes as I sat on a barrel that the crew hadn't taken up yet.

"These clothes do not flatter you at all. It should be a dress or nothing." Making faces at him as he continued, I tuned out the rest of what he was saying, consciously not wanting to hear him flirt with the woman that would eventually lead to his demise. Which made me then wonder, where was I going to be when that happened? Could I in good conscious leave Jack to Elizabeth? Could I, if I was there, let him be taken by the Kraken?

"You smell funny!" I heard Jack say and I laughed despite myself at the kindergarten comeback. Leaping off the barrel, I made my way to where Maria was standing next to Jack and Elizabeth and took my place beside Jack, close enough to bother him, but far enough away to not get caught. Sending a wink at Maria, she smirked as I made a sarcastic face and nodded towards him as if I was intrigued by what he was saying about Davy Jones.

"How would we find it?" Elizabitch asked and I stifled a laugh as Norrington groaned and then leaned towards the side to puke again as Ann rubbed his back comfortingly. Jack, I could tell, was beginning his descent into hell right now and I clenched my hands into fists as he leaned close to Elizabitch. Maria looked like she felt the same as she folded her arms to keep from tossing her into the sea.

"True enough, this compass does not point north." Jack led on while smirking.

"Where does it point?" Elizabeth asked while fluttering her lashes. I puked in my mouth.

"It points to the thing you want most in world." I said boredly and Elizabeth sent me a look before looking back up to Jack and turning on all of her bitchy charm.

"Oh, Jack, are you telling the truth?" Maria mimed puking faces and Ann sent Elizabeth an extremely distasteful face while I rolled my eyes. It was so good to have someone to be on my side in my hatred. Jack, however, looked like he was all for her charm. "Every word, love. And what you want most in this world is to find the chest of Davy Jones, is it not?" He asked while taking her hands and placing them on the compass.

While Maria, Ann, and I crowded around her to watch the compass in action, she defended herself. "To save Will." Jack acted like he understood and then ducked out of the way as she opened the compass and let it spin around. Suddenly, as if possessed by some unknown force, it stopped and pointed in a particular direction.

Without warning, Jack popped back up with a scary looking smile on his face. "Mr. Gibbs! We have our heading." He said in an excited voice. Mr. Gibbs looked so relieved it was insane as Ann, Maria, and I made our way up the gangplank before Elizabeth and Jack. I did not want to watch that exchange. When we reached the deck, Ann had a fit and walked all around, touching everything as Gibbs tried to keep her in line. Maria smiled and followed them while telling me to meet her and Ann in Jack's quarters in a little bit.

As Jack popped up over the deck, I made up my mind. Grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the helm, I pushed him slightly while crowding his space and acting like I was in some sort of trance. "Time and tide; the curse of men; realize the vexing of sun-kissed vixens." Falling back, I shook my head while looking at him and hoping he bought my half-assed attempt. His eyes were wide and I looked at him surprised before taking another step backwards.

"Miss Taylor," He started and I shook my head before turning on my heel and hurrying away. Ducking down, I looked over the railing on the stairs to see that he was watching Elizabeth with a wary eye and I smirked.

I may not be able to directly say anything, but if I was to be a gypsy woman, than I might as well do it up right. With a smile in my step, I sauntered my way to Jack's cabin.

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Well, I hope you all enjoyed my ramblings and my chapter! Tell me what you liked, disliked, and what you're looking forward to! And as always, here's the preview for the next installment.

"_So you never wandered how your latest fiancé ended up on the Flying Dutchman in the first place?"_

"_Of course she didn't, Norry. Have I not told you before that she's Eliza_bitch?_"_

"_Love, there'll be no pointing fingers or naming names on my ship."_

"_Oh, she's not doing either, Jack. You see, is this really even your ship?"_

"_Step away from the wheel, Taylor. Master Gibbs?"_

Well, hope you enjoyed that bit of dialogue! Stay sweet, lovelies. :)

Oh, and if you haven't yet, go see the new Pirates movie. It's amazing. And check out some of my other stories. And my twitter. (Alright, enough with the shameless advertising!)

Have a good one!


	5. Chapter Five

_Author's Note: So, as per usual, I'm kind of a terrible person. I seriously mean to do better and then all of a sudden it's been months since I've last written anything and I find myself thinking, wow, I can't believe people are still putting up with your shit. So, as always, I really am sorry that I haven't updated in a dick year. I promise my best to try really hard to update at least once a month until this story is over. Then, I'll decide whether I'll put you all through a third installment of Taylor and Maria's story or not. (Or do I already have it all figured out? I guess you'll have to stick around to figure it out.) Anywho, how about I just get on with it and let you all read? Sounds good to me! Let me know what you think via review or on my twitter, which is www dot twitter dot come slash prongsflower. Enjoy!_

_And oh, my goodness! I didn't realize I had so many reviews for this story! I definitely deserve to be hit in the face for not writing more for you all! You're seriously amazing and make me want to weep because you're all so beautiful. And you should all thank Black Wolf-Dog for spurring me on. She made sure I got you all an update! :0)_

Disclaimer: I don't own it, because obviously, if I were a mouse I'd have more energy to actually finish the damn thing.

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_Chapter 5:_

_Joshame Gibbs: Trend Setter_

It was an unreasonably sunny, and windy, day on the Pearl and as I sat half-asleep leaning against the railings, I watched/listened in on the conversation that Jack, Gibbs, and Elizabeth were having just a short ways away. Maria, who stood on my left was laughing intermittently as Anne bugged the hell out of Norrington, who was trying to be a good sailor and swab the deck. Let me just take a moment to point out how disgusting the water that they use to swab the deck is. I swear to all things holy that there are creatures swimming around in said water. And why even wash the ship anyway? The sea is just going to spray it and get all messed up again.

"Becket." Gibbs said with a vengeance and I gave up all pretense of trying to not listen in as I walked a short ways away and stood next to Master Gibbs, looking over Jack's shoulder at the Letters of Marque. Jack made a strange noise in his throat as he held the papers out a bit more as if it hurt to touch them. "Yes, they're signed; Lord Cutler Becket of the East India Trading Company." Elizabeth said in her hoity toity accent and I got close enough to whisper to Jack as he stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"Doesn't it burn your arm to think about that, Jackie?" Glaring at me over his shoulder, I shrugged like I was helpless while Anne and Maria sauntered over to the conversation. Feeling like I hadn't really done my part in stealing lines from my favorite characters, I got to work. "Will was working for Becket and never said a word." I lamented sadly and Jack grabbed at his wrist, almost as if he were in pain.

"Hey, now, let's cut the man a break, shall we?" Maria defended and Elizabeth cut her a hard look. Seems like the feeling of discontent is mutual between the two brunettes. I shared a look with Anne as she nodded along with Gibbs as he gave me a look and continued to speak. "Becket wants the compass. Only one reason for that."

With a sudden revelation, Jack sent his first mate a look and opened his mouth to speak but Anne got there just before him. "Of course, he wants the chest!" She said in her best Jack Sparrow impersonation. I giggled behind my hand while Maria smirked and we got looks from our three other companions. "I'll just be over here with the former Commodore." She said with a frown before slinking off and plopping down beside where Mr. Norrington was working. Again, she began to engage him in talk as he sent her sideways looks and tried to not get caught rolling his eyes. Always a man of propriety, that Norrie.

"Yes, he did say something about a chest." Elizabeth said with a blank look on her face and I rolled my eyes at how impressively dim she was. Then, I looked at Maria, but instead was struck by a thought as my eyes landed instead on the first mate. "Gibbs, why are you wearing that piece of cloth around your neck? Don't you know that chokers are so 1995?" As Maria burst into laughter, Gibbs rolled his eyes and Jack let out a sigh. Oh, yeah, they were having a conversation. "Carry on, gentlemen. And Elizabitch."

"If the company controls the chest, they controls the sea." Gibbs said in atrocious English, but I let him get away with it because I had just insulted his very stylish choker necklace. "A truly discomforting notion, love." Jack said, his eyes widening and narrowing almost in the same instant. If I didn't know that he was going to kiss Elizabeth at the end of this film, I would have dragged him to his cabin just then. As it were, I knew they were to have a 'scene' in just a few moments so I contained myself and let Maria speak poor Gibbs's next lines.

"Bad; bad for every mother's son that calls himself pirate." She spoke with vehemence and I gave her an impressed nod and smile while she dusted her shoulders off in jest. Gibbs took over the rest of his lines from here and I laughed to myself. The poor man was going to hate us even more if we continued to take his dialogue. As it were, Maria, Anne, and I could probably quote verbatim every line in this movie, so I wasn't going to stop having fun if I was eventually going to be handed over to Jones.

"I think there's a bit more speed can be coaxed from these sails." As he started to run towards the helm, Anne looked up from her spot on the ground silently watching Norrington, aka creepily staring, and yelled with the first mate. "Brace the foreyard!" There was a slight pause, and then everyone went about his business.

And here I was faced with the choice; to stay and watch Jack and Elizabeth flirt or go and submit myself to silent brooding? So, I decided to do the next best thing. I walked halfway away so I could interrupt if need be, and or run away if it was too much to handle. Maria, on the other hand, stayed right where she was.

"Might I inquire as to how you came by these?" Jack asked as he stalked forward, pushing Elizabeth back as she tried to step away.

"Persuasion." She said with a fake-smile and Maria mocked her from where she was standing next to Jack.

"Friendly?" Jack posed with tilted eyebrows.

"Decidedly not." Elizabeth countered while finally standing her ground. Feeling like it was as good a time as ever, Maria started in on the questioning to try and ease what was sure to be more sexual tension than there was between Elizabeth and Barbossa the last time we were on this ship.

"Will strikes a deal for these and upholds it with honor yet you're the one standing here with the prize." She gave Elizabeth a disdainful look and then crossed her arms over her pirate garb. Elizabeth looked cornered, or at least, I remembered the look she would have seeing as I was standing on the stairs behind her and I watched as Maria raised an eyebrow at the former Governor's daughter. Man, I forgot how much of the movie takes place without Jack.

Speaking of Will, he would still be on the Dutchman, or would he have escaped last night? Poor guy, it was going to be a wreck when we all met up again. "Full pardon; commission as a privateer on behalf of England and the East India Trading Company." Well, they were just throwing that name around like it was a bottle of rum today, weren't they. Dirty namedroppers; speaking of, I caught the look that Norrington was giving those letters as he looked up at the mention. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Jack and Elizabeth. "As if I could be bought for such a low price."

"Jack, the letters, give them back." Elizabeth said as she took off after Jack who had tucked them into his pocket and walked away. Idiot, he was doing all this on purpose; the helm was this way. "I can't honestly stand her." Maria whispered from next to me and I nodded my head as I watched the two.

"No," Jack said with a pout in his voice and I almost punched the wall of the ship as he flirted with her. Again, I contained myself. I mean, he was a fictional (albeit very real) character. "Persuade me."

"You do know Will taught me how to handle a sword." Elizabeth said and I bit my tongue at the sexual innuendo. But, maybe I was the only one making that connection. Looking to Maria, I took pride in the fact that her fingers were clenched into tiny fists. Obviously, everyone else made the same innuendo.

"As I said, persuade me." Jack said again with a lilt of his eyebrows. Maria and I made fake gagging noise, drawing attention from the crewmen who were all astutely ignoring their Captain's shenanigans and it even looked like we got a nice little smile from Norrie, who hadn't really spoken two words to me this whole time. Literally, it had only been one word with a half nod and the one word was my name; what'd I look like I was stupid?

Anne dropped next to me on the other side of the stairs in the next instance and I smiled at her as she scrunched her nose up at Elizabeth, who was going to continue speaking but instead walked away. Jack made a strange noise, which he seemed so fond of doing, and then walked away towards the helm. As he neared, a smile lit up his face and he spread his arms out. "Ladies." I rolled my eyes while Anne continued her glare and Maria raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Captain?" Anne said with a steely voice as she made herself more comfortable on the stairs. Even in a fictitious world, it was nice to know that my best friends had my back. "Well, loves, I shall need to be going up to the helm. I have a duty as a Captain of this fine vessel to actually captain it."

"Oh, are we in your way?" I said in a surprised voice and then put a hand to my heart. "Well, goodness me, I had no recollection of that. We'll just be moving on." I smiled as sweetly as I could before grabbing Maria and Anne's arms and dragging the behind me. Jack looked somewhat confused for a moment at my cheerfulness and then nodded towards us.

"Taylor, what?" Anne said and I nodded my headed and pointed my chin towards the door to Jack's cabin with a lilt of my eyebrows. Getting the message they began to walk towards it while I called out for Jack to wait up. He stopped on the stairs and swung about to face me in his drunken pirate way. "What is it, Taylor?" He questioned and I hopped up the stairs along with him before I was a step below. Then, without warning, I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him into a hug, my face buried in his chest.

Taken aback, he hesitantly put his arms on my back and returned the hug and I laughed slightly before pulling back. "That's all." I said with a shrug and began to hop down the stairs leaving the bewildered Captain in my wake. "Ragetti, never trust a woman." I heard him say to the man who was standing in the rigging. Smiling to myself, I held out the key ring I had taken stealthily from his belt. "Girls, to the Captain's cabin." I winked at my friends who followed me into the sacred room.

Spreading out on the rather large cushioned chairs that lined the charts/dining/everything else table, we took a moment to revel at the massive room before I steepled my fingers and looked at my friends in the most serious way that I could muster. "Ladies, I have an announcement to make." I said in the sternest voice I could possibly make.

"Alright, what's with all the showmanship?" Maria asked while leaning forward towards me, which still made her about a foot or so away over the overtly large table.

"Well, first, I got to meet Davy Jones, who I must say is quite the scary man fish. And while we were doing that, he somehow thought it would be hilarious to think that I should be included in the bargain of souls. I mean, he's kidding right, so I had a good laugh. Then we went to Tortuga and met up with you fools, and now we're just chilling. So I wanted to ask you all if you think we'll get to go back to Tia Dalma's at the end of the movie?" I laughed a little as if everything was cool and I saw Maria's glare and Anne's half-confused visage and dropped the laughter. "So, yeah, the floor is open to questions, comments, or concerns about me being a sea-person prostitute."

"I'm going to murder Jack Sparrow and burn the Black Pearl to the ocean floor." Maria said while shoving her chair out and I shook my head no, while moving quickly to stand in front of her. "Don't even try to stop me, Taylor. How could he even let you be put in danger like that? I mean, Will, I can see because for Jack he's a means to and end. But you?"

"Well, really it wasn't his fault. He tried to stop him but there's no arguing with a sea-person." I tried to reason and she crossed her arms while Anne sat stock still in her seat. "Anne, help me out here, I mean, it's really not Jack's fault."

Standing from her seat, Anne came over to where both of us were standing and then wrapped me into a quick hug. "Sorry, Tay, but Maria's right. I'm going to kill Jack Sparrow and then we're going to find a way out of this mess for you."

Before I could do anything, they were out the door, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the cabin. "JACK!" I heard screamed, more like shrieked, very loudly and I felt my eyes widen as I hustled my way out the cabin and up the stairs where the crew weren't even pretending to not pay attention anymore.

"How could you? Taylor is worth more than 99 souls and your soul combined. I swear to all that is above, I will burn this ship with all your precious rum before I let my best friend be taken by stupid Davy Jones." Maria was saying, struggling against Cotton who was holding her back as his parrot circled from above.

Anne, on the other hand, was standing murderously from where Gibbs had a hand on her shoulder, her hand clutched to her chest. Looking to Jack, I saw an angry red mark around his jaw and I bit my lip. Well, at least she had punched him out and then calmed down. "I take it ya told 'em." Jack stated with a glare when he caught sight of me. I mouthed a sorry as Maria started another tirade.

"I'll trade your ass in next. Then we'll be done with the whole thing, won't we?" She took in a breath to continue when Jack spoke back to her.

"T'wasn't my fault, Ms. Maria. I did everything in my power to keep Ms. Taylor here from being press ganged into the deal but it didn't work. Now we will all calm ourselves down and think rationally about this. I have a plan, and it will only work if I get my way. So shut it; or all throw you all in the brig." Her mouth snapped shut with an audible sound and she wrenched herself from Cotton's hold before glaring at Jack and stalking towards the stairs.

Opening my mouth to stop her, she pointed her finger at me menacingly. "I'm not talking to you." She said angrily before hustling down the stairs and walking to the other side of the ship to stare/glare at the passing waves. Anne, who shook her head at the Captain, walked down the other set of stairs and then went below decks.

Turning quickly, I walked over to where Jack was and put my hand to his set jaw, examining the bruising skin as he kept his narrowed gaze off of me. "I'm sorry, Jack. I know that it's not your fault I'm in this mess. They just took things out of control. I'll make them apologize." I felt bad, my voice betraying me as I spoke, and Jack's resolve broke as he looked down at me with a small frown. Putting his roughened hand to my cheek, he nodded slightly.

"We'll get out of this, alright? Besides we have something that Jones doesn't even know about." He grinned and I felt myself smile in return. Putting his hand on the wheel again, he answered my unasked question. "A gypsy." Rolling my eyes, I leaned slightly into his side and watched the open ocean before us. If only he knew just how much I knew.

When Cotton took over at the helm, I made my way down the stairs and over to where Norrington had just began to talk to Elizabeth. Knowing the conversation would soon turn towards Jack, I stayed half-way hidden and listened in while I saw Maria walk over and stand close enough where they would see her and know she could hear them, and then Anne, who was again following Norrington, stand against where Jack would soon be imprisoned.

"So you never wandered how your latest fiancé ended up on the Flying Dutchman in the first place?" Norrington was saying and I rolled my eyes. Of course she hasn't thought about that. It's not like she cares anything of anyone, really.

"Of course she didn't, Norrie. Have I not told you before that she's Eliza_bitch_?" Maria said from her place, taking the words right out of my mouth. Both of their eyes turned towards my best friend who crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, come on, it's not like she's even asked about Will this whole time we've been on here. I think that right there tells you something about her character." Making my way up the stairs again, I saw Jack lean slightly over the banister to speak to Maria and the crew and smiled devilishly. This would be fun.

"Love, there'll be no pointing fingers or naming names on my ship." He said with a slight laugh and I took this as my opportunity after pushing Cotton back some, which I knew he would probably not speak to me for later. Well, at least, his parrot wouldn't. Or whatever.

"Oh, she's not doing either, Jack. You see, is this really even your ship?" I said, while slightly spinning the wheel back and forth in my hand. Jack, whose eyes widened at my handling of the precious Pearl, swung back around to face me and left Maria and Elizabeth to their glare fest.

"Step away from the wheel, Taylor. Master Gibbs?" As Gibbs rolled his eyes and came to pull me back so Cotton could take the wheel again, Jack pulled out his eyeglass thing, which the name for escapes me, and began to look out at the sea. Catching Maria's glance, I winked at her and she smiled slightly before we all turned our gaze towards Anne and Norrington, who looked more fed up than he had before.

"Fine, Ms. Anne, you may wash my 'filthy locks' as you call them. But I will not expose my chest for you." Laughing giddily, Anne took her crush's hand and began to drag him away, speaking a hundred miles a minute. Then, Elizabeth and Jack's god-awful compass caught my eye.

This whole movie was going to be a bit more than I bargained for.

* * *

_Well, loves, I know I've been terrible, and that I have no right to ask but…review? If not, never fear, I shall still write. In fact, the next chapter will be up next weekend as a little present from me to you on the day of my birth (Halloween for all those that will celebrate it). See you in a week! Hope you enjoyed!_


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